Gyeonggi Province Opens First Special Living Treatment Center...72-Bed Capacity

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province's first special living treatment center began operations on the 27th at the former Sihwa Hospital building in Jeongwang-dong, Siheung City.

The special living treatment center is a mid-stage concept between a living treatment center and an infectious disease-dedicated medical facility, specializing in treating mild patients who require oxygen supply or IV therapy.

The first center operates with 20 rooms and 72 beds (including 12 intensive care beds) and is run by Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center Anseong Hospital.

A total of approximately 130 people, including 100 medical staff, from Gyeonggi Province, Siheung City, fire departments, military and police, and private contractors, work in three teams: administrative oversight, medical and psychological services, and rescue and emergency care.

Medical personnel levels are 3 to 4 times higher than existing living treatment centers. The province plans to receive emergency medical personnel support from Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center and Gyeonggi Fire Department, and will form a medical support team with cooperation from general hospitals across the province.

The special living treatment center can provide oxygen supply at bedside and offer basic medical services such as IV therapy similar to hospitals.

Portable negative pressure machines are installed at each window of the building to thoroughly purify air leaving the facility.

The province plans to operate a close cooperation system consisting of the special living treatment center, bed assignment team, and home care system operation unit, as patients with increased severity must be immediately transferred to hospitals from the special living treatment center.