Myongji Hospital said it has drastically reorganized its in-hospital Covid-19 response strategy to focus on patient convenience in line with the government easing indoor mask rules from Monday.

"Considering the easing of mask-wearing indoors and the recent downward trend of confirmed cases, the seventh viral wave is coming to an end," Myongji Hospital Chairman Lee Wang-jun. "Therefore, hospital infection control guidelines, which have been applied conservatively, should be drastically revised to focus on patient conveniences, such as prompt treatment and reduced waiting time."

Accordingly, the hospital decided to immediately implement revised guidelines for responding to infectious diseases, such as the rapid hospitalization system through the emergency room, mandatory Covid-19 screening guardians, and the permanent establishment of its long Covid clinic.

Notably, the hospital has reorganized the long Covid clinic into a multidisciplinary medical system centered on the infectious medicine department.

The clinic will focus on treating patients who complain of long-term sequelae six months to a year after testing positive for Covid-19.

The hospital also expects that the change in the hospitalization procedure through the emergency room, which was delayed due to the guardian's Covid-19 test, will greatly improve the convenience of patients and guardians.

However, the hospital will continue to operate state-designated isolation beds and treatment beds for severe patients.

The decision to change the Covid-19 strategy follows global recognition of Myongji Hospital's ability to respond to infectious diseases.

The hospital was selected as a hospital with excellent Covid-19 response by the International Hospital Federation (IHF), held a webinar at the request of the UN, operated the "Lee Jong-wook Fellowship Expert Course for Response to Infectious Diseases," and passed on its Covid-19 response to a French delegation.

"In line with the easing of indoor masks rules, it is time to drastically change the overall hospital culture, which has been suppressed by Covid-19 for the past three years," Chairman Lee said. "Above all, we aim to create a pre-COVID-19 treatment environment by reorganizing the hospital, focusing on the convenience of patients and guardians who have suffered a lot of inconvenience due to conservative infection control guidelines."