The government is launching a pilot program to reform emergency patient transport, with regional emergency medical situation rooms directly confirming hospital availability and selecting destinations for critically ill patients. The initiative aims to secure the golden hour by allowing 119 paramedics to focus on on-site treatment rather than spending time arranging hospital admissions.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the National Fire Agency announced on the 25th that the pilot program will run for three months from March to May in Gwangju, North Jeolla, and South Jeolla provinces. Officials plan to analyze the results and consider nationwide expansion in the second half of the year.
The core change involves restructuring transport procedures for severe emergency patients classified as pre-KTAS 1-2. When 119 paramedics transmit patient information simultaneously to the regional emergency medical situation room and the 119 Emergency Dispatch Center, the regional center will verify hospital capacity based on available medical resources including ICU beds, operating rooms, MRI, and CT scanners to select an appropriate facility. Paramedics will concentrate on patient care, while the most critical cases such as cardiac arrest patients will be transported immediately to pre-designated hospitals.
When selecting a hospital within an appropriate timeframe proves difficult, "priority admission hospitals" will be activated. These facilities will provide stabilization treatment first, then coordinate with the regional situation room to transfer patients to hospitals capable of definitive care. The 119 service will support transportation when severe patients require secondary transfers.
For moderate to minor cases classified as pre-KTAS 3-5, transport will follow pre-agreed guidelines combined with real-time hospital resource data. Pre-KTAS 3 cases will involve admission inquiries when necessary, while levels 4 and 5 will be transported based on guidelines without admission calls. For low-frequency, high-complexity conditions such as digit replantation, pediatric emergencies, and childbirth, hospital lists will be refined to include resources in neighboring provinces.
Information sharing will also be strengthened. Patient data will be rapidly transmitted to hospitals and regional situation rooms through the 119 Emergency Smart System, and hospitals will be required to specify and pre-notify reasons for being unable to accept emergency patients. The steering committee will evaluate performance using indicators including transport time changes, re-transfer rates, final treatment outcomes, and satisfaction levels to establish a standard model.
Minister of Health and Welfare Chung Eun-kyung emphasized, "To solve the problem of emergency room non-admissions, we will operate this pilot program with a shared sense of responsibility among local communities, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the National Fire Agency."