A forum was held to discuss ways to strengthen the capabilities of regional national university hospitals and build a medical system in which essential care and other key services can be completed within the region.
Seoul National University Hospital said on the 28th that it held the "2nd National University Hospital Public Sector Symposium" and shared policies and field cases aimed at strengthening regional, essential, and public healthcare. About 170 people attended the symposium, including representatives from the public sectors of 10 national university hospitals nationwide, the National University Hospital Association, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, local governments, and regional public hospitals.
Presentations examined public perceptions and expectations of regional healthcare and highlighted the role of national university hospitals. Yeo Na-geum, a research fellow at the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA), explained public awareness of the healthcare gap between the Seoul metropolitan area and the regions, as well as the need to strengthen the capabilities of national university hospitals and expand government support so they can provide high-quality care locally. She also said that the healthcare people want is ultimately care that "takes responsibility to the very end, at the place where I live, at the moment when life is on the line," adding that national university hospitals are the institutions that can meet all three conditions at once.
Another presentation divided the regional healthcare crisis into two categories. Cho Hee-sook, head of public affairs at Gangwon National University Hospital, said that in essential care areas such as emergency, trauma, delivery, and pediatrics, the golden hour is critical. Data from the National Emergency Medical Information Network (NEDIS) show that 70% of reasons for transferring regional emergency patients stem from a "lack of medical staff and specialized equipment." In contrast, for severe illnesses such as cancer, many patients still choose Seoul even when beds are available. Cho said this is not a supply problem but a "trust issue."
Cho proposed expanding value-based compensation in essential care based on outcomes and responsibility rather than treatment volume, increasing support for faculty and infrastructure investment in severe disease care, and operating integrated budgets rather than separate project-based budgets for public healthcare programs. A survey by the National University Hospital Association also found that financial support, legal and institutional reform, and staffing and education were the most frequently cited policy priorities.
Some cooperation models were already in operation on the ground. Ahn Soon-gi, head of the public health and medical project office at Chungnam National University Hospital, which has operated a treatment cooperation network for the Daejeon-Chungnam regional cerebrovascular and cardiovascular center, introduced its experience in building a "24-hour specialized treatment cooperation network for severe and emergency cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases in Daejeon." The hospital established an app called FASTLINK, which allows fire authorities to accept or reject transport requests in real time, creating a hospital-to-hospital collaboration system. Cumulative data from 2011 to 2025 show that patients visited even from beyond a 100-kilometer radius of the regional center. Ahn stressed that for such networks to continue, trust among participating institutions matters more than speed.
There were also cases that went a step further through personnel dispatch. Kyungpook National University Hospital is currently sending 46 doctors to local medical institutions, including 30 full-time and 16 part-time physicians. The Regional Essential Health and Medical Committee, led by Daegu Metropolitan City, is divided into six subcommittees covering emergency care, cardiology, cerebrovascular care, pediatrics, severe cases, and maternal care, and is discussing response measures for each field. Under the Daegu-Gyeongbuk wide-area cooperation governance framework, a pilot project for a Daegu-Gyeongbuk wide-area golden-time transport system in 2027 is also being considered as a joint planning task. Kim Geon-yeop, head of public affairs, said national university hospitals must have not only clinical capabilities but also policy capacity to work with local governments to solve regional health and medical issues.
As the Regional Essential Medical Care Act, aimed at strengthening regional and essential healthcare, is set to take effect in March 2027, Health and Welfare Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong said in a video message that "we will push for field-oriented regulatory reform so national university hospitals can stand as the central pillar of regional essential care, provide support to secure top-level treatment, clinical and research capabilities, strengthen compensation for essential care, and build a regionally complete medical system." Lee Young-jae, head of the Regional Essential Medical Care Division at the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), also introduced the implementation of the act and the national support system.
In the following panel discussion, experts from various fields examined the role of national university hospitals in strengthening regional, essential, and public healthcare from multiple perspectives.
Moon Jin-soo, head of public affairs at Seoul National University Hospital, said, "At this symposium, we were able to seek concrete solutions together on what role national university hospitals should play in the field of regional, essential, and public healthcare." He added, "Going forward, the public sector of Seoul National University Hospital will continue to strengthen ties with regional national university hospitals and related institutions, and will keep working so that field experience and achievements can lead to changes in the regional healthcare system."
Reporter Jang Jong-ho bellho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
