A Few Lines of Records Protect Patients... Only 1% Enrolled

[Anchor]

In sudden emergency situations, quickly identifying a patient's medical history and current medications is crucial. There is a service called the "119 Safe Call," which automatically transmits pre-registered medical information to emergency rescue workers the moment an emergency call is made. However, the enrollment rate in Ulsan remains stuck at around 1 percent.

UBC reporter Sung Gi-won reports.

[Reporter]

An urgent call comes into the 119 control center.

[Caller, this is 119. What is the emergency? Caller?]

In situations where smooth communication is difficult, firefighters proceed to respond based on medical histories registered in the computer system.

[Yes, we will dispatch an ambulance to that location right away. Yeompo ambulance Safe Call recipient dispatch.]

The dispatched rescue team receives detailed caller information in advance and prepares necessary treatments accordingly.

In fact, this woman in her 60s recently requested help from 119 due to sudden facial tremors.

Thanks to her pre-registered medical history, including cerebral infarction and thrombocythemia, a rapid assessment of her condition and hospital transport were possible right from the reporting stage.

[Lee Hyun-kyung / Onsan-eup, Ulju-gun: When I was making the report, my chin was shaking uncontrollably. I honestly couldn't think of anything.]

Introduced in 2008, the 119 Safe Call system.

If underlying diseases, surgical history, and medications taken are pre-registered, they are utilized for emergency rescue operations immediately upon reporting, and the fact that a report has been made is also sent to guardians.

It helps provide tailored responses, particularly for those who find it difficult to explain their condition on their own during emergencies, such as the elderly, patients with severe illnesses, and pregnant women.

[Jang Jong-pil / 119 Disaster Response Division, Ulsan Fire Headquarters: Because emergencies can happen to anyone, registering necessary information in advance helps 119 respond more appropriately in critical moments.]

However, despite its long implementation period, the usage rate remains stagnant.

As of August, the Safe Call enrollment rate in Ulsan hovered in the 1 percent range, ranking the third lowest among the 17 cities and provinces nationwide.

Anyone can sign up for the service through identity verification on the 119 Safe Call website, and guardians, children, or social workers can also register on their behalf.

A few lines of records left in advance can become another voice for a patient in a critical moment.

(Video Journalist: Cho Hyun-woo, UBC / Footage provided by: Ulsan Fire Headquarters)

Sung Gi-won, UBC
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.