Ajou News

NEW Ajou University Hospital begins operation of "Doctor Helicopter"

  • 2019-10-04
  • 7320

Ajou University Hospital began operation of "Doctor Helicopter" on August 31st.

Ajou University Medical Center, the Trauma Center for Southern Gyeonggi Province, held an event to launch its Doctor Helicopter program, which will be operated twenty-four hours a day for the first time in Korea, unlike the other six helicopters operated by other regions.

The event was attended by Professor Kug Jong Lee, who played a key role in introducing Doctor Helicopter, as well as Ajou University President Hyung Ju Park and Ajou University Hospital President Hee Sug Ryu, Health and Welfare Minister Neung Hoo Park, Vice Governor Hee Gyeom Kim of Gyeonggi Province, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Harry Harris, Commanding General of the Eighth United States Army Michael Bills, and Professor Raul Coimbra, etc. 

Gyeonggi Medical Administrative Center, led by Professor Lee, plans to improve the operation of Doctor Helicopter by evaluating and reducing preventable injury-related deaths, supporting the Trauma Center for Gyeonggi Province, creating plans to improve its operation and related investigations, and training firefighting and medical staff members to better respond to emergencies.

After being designated as the seventh Doctor Helicopter operator, Ajou University Hospital has worked to improve its operational system for the effective treatment of emergency patients, and decided to keep Doctor Helicopter ready and conduct rescue activities 24 hours a day. In particular, Doctor Helicopter will transport patients who are seriously injured in highway traffic accidents or in mountainous areas to the Hospital. Six firefighting officials have been dispatched to the University Hospital to support rescue operations on the scene.

Professor Lee said, "I believe that Doctor Helicopter will provide opportunities to save the lives of injured patients across the country, from the DMZ to the islands along the south to the eastern coast," adding, "I hope it will be included in the national injury treatment system." He went on to say, "Images of Atlas have been inscribed in Doctor Helicopter to remember the commitment and sacrifice of the late Director Han Deok Yoon of the National Emergency Medical Center."

Since beginning its operation in September 2011, Doctor Helicopter has transported about 8,300 patients during 9,000 rescue operations through this August.