A pilot program aimed at eliminating the so-called "emergency room runaround"—where critically ill patients are shuttled between hospitals seeking treatment—will launch next month, but the medical community remains divided between hope and concern.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the National Fire Agency announced plans to conduct an emergency patient transport system innovation pilot program in Gwangju Metropolitan City, North Jeolla Province, and South Jeolla Province from March through May. The initiative aims to ensure patients reach appropriate hospitals within the golden hour and improve emergency medical system efficiency.
Under the new system, a regional medical coordination center will designate receiving hospitals for severe emergency patients. For minor cases, 119 paramedics will transport patients directly to facilities without first confirming bed availability, following pre-established protocols.
The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine expressed support on Tuesday, stating the program is "positive in that it respects regional emergency medical systems and guidelines, and was launched through communication and collaboration." The society added it expects the pilot "to improve problems in emergency medical settings and serve as an opportunity for further development of the emergency medical system."
The society called for bold support and strengthened coverage to address anxiety and concerns in emergency medicine. "To protect citizens' lives and safety and resolve emergency medical concerns, we must boldly support the emergency medical sector and strengthen coverage," the society said. "Legal and institutional improvements such as criminal immunity and caps on civil damages must also be urgently pursued through parliamentary legislation."
In contrast, the Korean Emergency Medicine Physicians Association, primarily representing employed and private-practice doctors, issued a sharp rebuke. "This pilot program is typical armchair theorizing that considers the convenience of specific professional groups and political interests," the association said, adding it would "persuade members not to participate."
The association dismissed "priority receiving hospitals" and "regional coordination centers" as recycled measures from past failed policies. The fundamental cause of emergency room runarounds is not the inability to find hospitals capable of definitive treatment, but their absence altogether, making the program ineffective, the group argued.
"A pilot program without sufficient preparation and consensus will become a disaster, not an innovation," the association warned. "We sternly caution that if the government ignores experts' warnings and forces this pilot program forward, all resulting chaos and responsibility will rest with the government."