Located in Eumseong-gun within the North Chungcheong Innovation City; pilot operations for firefighters and police began late last year; plans call for 19 departments, 28 specialists and 302 beds

The National Fire Service Hospital, South Korea's first hospital dedicated to firefighters and police officers, has opened in the North Chungcheong Innovation City in Eumseong-gun, North Chungcheong Province. [National Fire Service Hospital]
The National Fire Service Hospital, South Korea's first hospital dedicated to firefighters and police officers, has opened in the North Chungcheong Innovation City in Eumseong-gun, North Chungcheong Province. [National Fire Service Hospital]

South Korea's first hospital dedicated to firefighters has opened inside the North Chungcheong Innovation City in Eumseong-gun, North Chungcheong Province. Until now, firefighters had no specialized medical institution to turn to despite repeated exposure to high-risk environments such as fire scenes.

The National Fire Service Hospital plans to provide treatment tailored to the occupational characteristics of firefighters and, in time, build out a general hospital system while also serving as a regional emergency medical center.

The hospital said Monday it formally opened after launching a pilot program for firefighters and police officers in December and expanding outpatient services to local residents from March to test its operational systems.

This marks the first time a specialized medical institution has opened for firefighters and police officers. Previously, firefighters had no dedicated facility to treat the range of occupational illnesses they face — including burns, trauma, musculoskeletal disorders, respiratory diseases and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The National Fire Service Hospital offers four specialized centers: a burn center, an integrated rehabilitation center, a mental health center and a health promotion center. Seoul National University Hospital operates the facility under a management contract.

The burn center provides specialized care and intensive treatment for patients injured in fires and accidents. The integrated rehabilitation center uses a multidisciplinary care model to support patients' functional recovery, social reintegration and post-discharge health management. The mental health center covers the full spectrum of prevention, diagnosis and treatment for conditions including PTSD, depression, anxiety and sleep disorders. The health promotion center focuses on preventive care — health screenings, chronic disease management and health risk assessments.

Under the management contract, Seoul National University Hospital will transfer its established medical systems to the new facility and continue research collaboration on firefighter health management and occupational diseases.

The hospital opens with 19 clinical departments — including subspecialties — and 28 specialists, with plans to grow from 92 beds to a 302-bed general hospital.

The departments and their specialist counts are: cardiology (1), gastroenterology (1), infectious disease (1), surgery (3), neurosurgery (2), orthopedic surgery (2), plastic surgery (1), obstetrics and gynecology (1), otolaryngology (1), psychiatry (2), neurology (1), family medicine (1), rehabilitation medicine (2), pediatrics (1), radiology (1), laboratory medicine (1), anesthesiology and pain medicine (2), occupational and environmental medicine (1), and emergency medicine (2).

Outpatient services run on weekdays from 9 a.m., with registration closing at 4:30 p.m. The emergency room will initially operate on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. but is expected to expand gradually toward 24-hour operations as staffing and capacity grow.

The hospital also plans to scale up to general hospital level. It opens with 92 beds — including 12 intensive care unit beds — and will expand to a 302-bed general hospital system next year.

"The National Fire Service Hospital will serve as a national specialized public hospital responsible for the health and safety of firefighters, as well as an essential medical hub for the central North Chungcheong region," hospital director Kwak Young-ho said. "We will do our utmost to build a stable care system through a phased opening and to become a public hospital that grows together with the local community."


ko@heraldcorp.com