Emergency Room Shortages: A Growing Concern in South Korea

South Korea is facing a critical issue with its emergency room services, with an increasing number of cases where patients are unable to find a hospital in time. A recent incident highlights the severity of the problem, where a 70-year-old worker who fell from a construction site died four hours later due to the inability to find a hospital that could operate on him.

A similar incident occurred at Chosun University in Gwangju, where a 20-year-old female student was found collapsed in a state of cardiac arrest. Despite being just 100 meters away from the university hospital’s emergency room, the rescue team was unable to transport the patient there due to the hospital’s inability to provide immediate care.

The student was eventually transferred to another nearby hospital but has not regained consciousness. The incident raises concerns about the availability and accessibility of emergency room services in the country.

In another incident, a construction site worker in his 70s fell from the second floor and was left untreated for over an hour. Despite calling about 10 hospitals, the patient was eventually transferred to a hospital 50 km away, only to find out that they were unable to perform the necessary surgery.

The hospital staff explained that the patient’s condition was too severe, and they had requested transfer to Pusan National University Hospital, which has the capability to perform the surgery, but were rejected. The patient ultimately died four hours after the accident.

Busan National University Hospital has stated that they are investigating the incident, but the shortage of emergency room services remains a pressing concern in South Korea.

These incidents highlight the need for improved emergency room services and better coordination between hospitals to ensure that patients receive timely and adequate care.

Reporter Ha Dong-won has been following this story and will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.