End of Seven-Year Medical Gap... Ulju Hospital Begins Treating First Patients

Operating Five Departments Including Internal Medicine, with 55 Beds

Expanding Functions of Emergency Room and Artificial Kidney Room

The seven-year-long medical gap in the southern region of Ulju has reached a new turning point.

On the morning of September 4, from 9:00 a.m., Ulju Hospital located in Onyang-eup, Ulju County, received its first patient and officially began offering medical services.

On this day, Ulju County Governor Lee Soon-gul and relevant officials visited the hospital to inspect its operations and guide visitors on how to register for treatment.

With the opening of its outpatient services, Ulju Hospital began operating five departments: internal medicine, surgery, family medicine, radiology, and anesthesiology and pain medicine, with a total of 55 beds.

Consultation hours start at 9:00 a.m. On Mondays, the hospital operates until 6:00 p.m., and from Tuesday to Friday, it is open until 5:00 p.m. On Saturdays, services are available until 1:00 p.m. The lunch break on weekdays is from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., and the hospital is closed on Sundays.

This hospital opening holds greater significance than just the establishment of a new facility for residents in the southern region of Ulju.

In February 2019, when the only hospital-grade medical institution in the area was converted into a long-term care hospital, concerns were consistently raised over reduced medical accessibility for local residents and industrial complex workers.

Residents continued to face the inconvenience of traveling to central Ulsan or other regions for healthcare services, from treatment for colds and chronic diseases to emergency situations.

To address this medical gap, Ulju County began pursuing the construction of a county-run hospital in 2022. After completing remodeling work in the first half of this year, the county received authorization to establish the medical institution in July, finalizing the steps necessary for the opening.

Ulju Hospital is located on Deoknam-ro in Onyang-eup, with a total floor area of 7,778.44 square meters, spanning from one basement floor to seven stories above ground.

The hospital is equipped with an emergency room, health examination center, artificial kidney room, operating room, outpatient clinics, and more, with a total of 77 employees. Among them, 39 are Ulju County residents, so the hospital's opening is also expected to contribute to local job creation.

However, not all medical functions began operating from the first day. Ulju Hospital plans to open the orthopedic department in mid-September and activate the artificial kidney room by the end of this month. In October, the emergency room will begin operation as the hospital gradually expands its essential medical functions.

Ultimately, the hospital aims to operate up to eight departments and 100 beds. As medical services expand, the hospital plans to increase its staff to a maximum of 148 people.

Jeong Gido, a 70-year-old resident of Namchang-ri, Onyang-eup, and the first patient at Ulju Hospital, shared the inconvenience that local residents have experienced.

"Until now, we didn't have a large hospital in our area, so it took more than 20 to 30 minutes to go to Ulsan city or other places. It was extremely inconvenient," said Jeong. "I'm truly glad that Ulju Hospital opened near home. I expect it will be a significant help for residents' health and safety."

The hospital also stated its commitment to gradually expanding its medical services in line with local residents' expectations.

Jung Jonghoon, Director of Ulju Hospital, said, "Although it was a challenge to recruit medical professionals, we did our best to ensure Ulju Hospital could open as soon as possible. We will continue to grow in line with the expectations and needs of the residents."

Ulju County Governor Lee Soon-gul commented, "It is very meaningful that Ulju Hospital, which has been a long-held wish of southern Ulju residents, began its first consultations today. We will do our best to make it a public hospital that residents can trust and rely on."

Lee Sungul, Ulju County Governor, and other officials are taking a commemorative photo with Jeong Gijo, the first patient at Ulju Hospital.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.