Gwangju-Jeonnam to deploy ICU-level ambulances for critical patients

The South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare has selected the Gwangju-Jeonnam region to expand its pilot project for a specialized hospital-to-hospital transport system for critically ill patients. Chonnam National University Hospital has been designated as the lead institution for this initiative.

Unlike standard ambulances, these specialized vehicles are approximately 1.5 times larger and equipped with intensive care unit (ICU) level technology, including Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) and target temperature management (TTM) devices. To ensure continuous care during transit, each transport team will consist of three medical professionals: one doctor and two nurses or emergency medical technicians.

The project aims to minimize medical gaps when transferring patients between facilities for specialized treatment. Following a successful pilot in the Gyeonggi region, which transported 628 patients with conditions such as acute myocardial infarction and stroke, this new phase in Gwangju-Jeonnam is expected to begin full operations in the first half of 2027 after vehicle production and staff training are completed.