This undated file photo shows a corridor inside a university general hospital in Seoul. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, March 7 (Korea Bizwire) — A majority of South Koreans believe specialty hospitals have played a crucial role in filling the healthcare void during the ongoing medical crisis that began more than a year ago following the government’s announcement to increase medical school admissions, according to a new survey.
The findings were presented at a forum held by the Korea Medical Bio Journalists Association and the Korean Specialty Hospital Association (KSHA) at the Korea Press Center in Seoul on March 6.
The online survey, conducted last month, polled 1,049 adults nationwide aged 20 and above. Specialty hospitals, which are designated by the Minister of Health and Welfare, are medical institutions that provide sophisticated care in specific departments or diseases.
Since the specialty hospital designation system was first introduced in 2011, 115 such hospitals now operate across the country, covering 19 medical fields including joint surgery, cerebrovascular treatment, colorectal care, microsurgery, and burn treatment.
The survey revealed that 69.3% of respondents were well-informed about specialty hospitals, with 57.4% having received treatment at least once at one of the 115 facilities. Respondents cited “high expertise in treatment areas” (64.6%), “shorter waiting times compared to university hospitals” (40%), “reasonable medical costs” (32.4%), and “friendly medical staff” (19.9%) as key advantages.
An overwhelming 82.5% of respondents believed specialty hospitals contribute to improving domestic healthcare service quality, while 78.6% said they help reduce regional healthcare disparities. Two-thirds of respondents (66.9%) credited specialty hospitals with helping to fill the healthcare void during the ongoing medical crisis, with 42.7% of patients having received treatment at these facilities during the dispute.
Respondents who viewed specialty hospitals positively cited their role in maintaining surgical services (63.8%) and emergency medical care (51.8%). Critics, however, pointed to insufficient essential medical services in pediatrics and obstetrics (45.7%) and inadequate emergency care (43.5%).
The survey found strong support for expanding specialty hospital services, with 53.4% favoring an increase in treatment categories, particularly in mental health, pediatric, and geriatric care.
Hahm Myung-il, a professor at Soonchunhyang University’s Health Administration and Management Department emphasized that nurturing specialty hospitals would not only improve access to specialized treatment but also help reduce national medical expenses and establish an efficient healthcare delivery system by optimizing medical resource utilization.
However, the survey highlighted the need for public education, as many patients still struggle to distinguish between specialty and non-specialty hospitals.
KSHA President Yoon Sung-hwan emphasized that specialty hospitals possess treatment capabilities comparable to university hospitals for treating critically ill patients. He called for active government support, stating, “The government’s medical reform policy initiatives should include measures to promote specialty hospitals.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
