Approximately 50 million people live in a 99 000 km2 area of land, where there were multiple regional and local government / hospital organisations: in 2015, there were 17 provinces and 253 local health departments (including 253 local health centres), 17 provincial fire departments, 200 local EMS agencies (966 ambulance stations and 1282 ambulances), and 546 emergency departments (EDs) (20 level one regional EDs, two specialty EDs, 124 level two local EDs, 274 level three emergency rooms, and 126 level four non-designated urgent facilities).
The Ministry of Health and Welfare EMS programme is responsible for emergency care services, acts and regulations, budgeting and policy planning. The Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is responsible for the community CPR programme by developing national standards and education programs. The National Medical Centre is responsible for hospital-based emergency care through the ED evaluation programme and reimbursement programs for hospital emergency care. The Central Fire Services (CFS) is responsible for pre-hospital ambulance services related to EMS.9 10 (link)
The 2005 and 2010 CPR guidelines recommended by the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) were accepted by the academic societies and implemented in the CPR training for lay persons, first responders, and EMS providers in 2006 and 2011, respectively.11 12 (link) The EMS CPR protocol was developed by EMS medical directors in 2011 on the basis of 2010 guidelines. The protocol allowed the EMS providers to perform chest compression and automatic defibrillation, and endotracheal intubation or supraglottic airway under direct medical control during prehospital CPR. The epinephrine or other resuscitation drugs were not permitted to infuse. The termination of resuscitation declared by emergency medical technicians was not allowed and all OHCAs should be transported to the emergency department with providing CPR on ambulance transport if the patients did not achieve the prehospital return of spontaneous circulation.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare EMS programme is responsible for emergency care services, acts and regulations, budgeting and policy planning. The Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is responsible for the community CPR programme by developing national standards and education programs. The National Medical Centre is responsible for hospital-based emergency care through the ED evaluation programme and reimbursement programs for hospital emergency care. The Central Fire Services (CFS) is responsible for pre-hospital ambulance services related to EMS.9 10 (link)
The 2005 and 2010 CPR guidelines recommended by the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) were accepted by the academic societies and implemented in the CPR training for lay persons, first responders, and EMS providers in 2006 and 2011, respectively.11 12 (link) The EMS CPR protocol was developed by EMS medical directors in 2011 on the basis of 2010 guidelines. The protocol allowed the EMS providers to perform chest compression and automatic defibrillation, and endotracheal intubation or supraglottic airway under direct medical control during prehospital CPR. The epinephrine or other resuscitation drugs were not permitted to infuse. The termination of resuscitation declared by emergency medical technicians was not allowed and all OHCAs should be transported to the emergency department with providing CPR on ambulance transport if the patients did not achieve the prehospital return of spontaneous circulation.
