By Kim Tae-jong
Korea has become a destination for medical treatment for a growing number of foreign patients.
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, 81,789 foreign patients visited Korea for medical treatment last year, up 36 percent from a year earlier.
The government’s active promotion of medical tourism has led to the sharp increase. The total revenue from treating foreign patients nearly doubled to 103 billion won ($88 million) last year from 54 billion won in 2009 with each spending 1.3 million won on average.
The government has been supporting the globalization of Korean medical institutions under the catchphrase “Medical Korea,” the brand campaign to promote the country’s advanced medical services abroad.
Programs and initiatives supported by the government include the issuance of medical treatment visas, operation of an around-the-clock medical call center as well as one-stop medical tourism service centers.
To guarantee the quality of the medical services and strengthen foreign patients’ trust in it, the government has also adopted a registry system for Korean medical institutions and facilities. As of August 2011, the number registered at the health ministry stood at 2,016.
Medical institutions have also stepped up globalization efforts to attract patients from abroad. Many more medical institutions have been gaining accreditation from the Joint Commission International (JCI), the highest standard in international healthcare accreditation.
A total of 22 hospitals, including the Severance Hospital, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, Korea University Anam Hospital and Ewha Womans University Medical Center have been accredited.
In addition, 58 medical institutions have established overseas branches in 11 countries to promote the advanced technology and services they offer.
The number of foreign patients who visited here in 2010 marked 64,777 for out-patients, accounting for 79.2 percent of all treated, and 11,653, or 14.2 percent, for medical screening services. The number of in-patients recorded 5,359.
By nationality, the majority of patients were from the United States, China, Japan, Russia and Mongolia.
About 14 percent of patients received skincare-related treatment and cosmetic surgery while 13.5 percent received internal medical treatment. Another 13.1 percent visited complete medical checkup centers.
Some 43 percent of patients went to local medical centers while 20.5 percent opted for general hospitals. Another 23.5 percent chose clinics.
Currently, the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) operates the International Medical Communication Office to provide international patients with medical consultation services to solve complaints, inconveniences and malpractice under the support of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. For more information, visit www.medicalkorea.or.kr