The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that in 2025, doctor helicopters and Mobile Intensive Care Units (MICUs) transported 1,414 critical emergency patients, significantly improving survival rates. For severe trauma and cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases, rapid transfer and on-site treatment are crucial for patient survival. Doctor helicopters, staffed with specialists, and dedicated MICUs are playing an increasingly vital role, especially in remote or traffic-congested areas. These advanced emergency transport systems are being expanded nationwide, with their effectiveness demonstrated through real-life patient cases.
In 2025, doctor helicopters transported 1,075 critical patients, including 515 with severe trauma and 163 with cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases. Since their introduction in 2011, doctor helicopters have transferred a cumulative total of 16,057 patients by 2025, serving as a backbone of Korea’s emergency medical system. MICUs, piloted in the Gyeonggi region since late 2024, safely transported 339 critical patients, including neonates requiring oxygen saturation management, in 2025. Major hospitals like Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital operate dedicated medical teams around the clock, ensuring safe transfers for a wide range of critical cases.
Case studies highlight the impact of these services: a man in his 40s found unconscious on a road was stabilized and transferred within 12 minutes by a doctor helicopter, saving his life. Other cases include a woman who fell from a bicycle on an island, a newborn with hypoxemia, a patient with epilepsy, and a critically ill patient requiring ECMO. During transfers, advanced medical procedures such as sedation, oxygen supply, intubation, central venous catheter insertion, and ventilator adjustments were performed by the medical teams.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to add one more doctor helicopter and upgrade two small helicopters to medium-sized ones in 2025 to enhance operational capacity. An additional MICU will also be introduced to further strengthen the emergency transport system. These policy enhancements aim to secure the golden hour for critical patients and reduce regional disparities in medical access. Continued investment in emergency medical infrastructure and professional training will further reinforce the national safety net.
This article demonstrates the tangible impact of advanced emergency transport systems on improving survival rates for critical patients. The expansion of doctor helicopters and MICUs is crucial for providing timely, specialized care in underserved regions, helping to bridge healthcare gaps. Integrating AI-powered patient monitoring and optimized transport routing could further enhance the efficiency and safety of emergency medical services in the future.