When healthcare becomes a vacation
A foreign patient consults a doctor during health screening at the Sun Healthcare International in Daejeon in this file photo.
By Kelly Frances
“Please feel free to correct my English if I make any mistakes; it is important in order for me to be a good nurse here,” Nurse Jung Woo-ri said shyly as she guided me to the newly remodeled Sun Healthcare International Center in Daejeon, where I was about to have an overdue physical screening and spend the night.
I was wary of being an “in-patient,” something I first experienced in 2010 when I fractured my leg, and again in 2011.
Sun Healthcare International, currently the largest medical screening facility in the world, is one of 11 Sun Medical Centers, cumulatively containing 39 departments, 900 beds and serving 2,500 outpatients.
Nominated as a Leading International Patient Hospital by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2011, and resplendent with a swank new decor by American architectural group HDR, the center is an impressive facility in a city known for its science and technology focus.
Kelly Frances stands next to a table in her accommodation at Sun Healthcare International, where she got physical screening. / Courtesy of Sun Healthcare International, Kelly Frances
What interested me, an accident-prone expatriate, was the international hospital’s ability to accommodate diversity. My experience taught me that the toughest obstacle facing patients in a foreign hospital is communication. There is no more vulnerable state than that which illness brings. Add a foreign land, and communication becomes essential.
In 2012, over 2,500 Sun Healthcare clients, many of whom were medical tourists, were surveyed; 98 percent indicated they were “satisfied.”
“Feedback is extremely important to us,” explained CEO Dr. Sun Seung-hoon.
“We are constantly benchmarking other facilities across the globe, and most importantly, we listen to our patients. We don’t adhere to one specific culture when we approach medicine. You can think of us a melting pot — we have Western and Eastern influences.”
Dr. Sun spends 30 percent of his time as a CEO facilitating education with the belief that strict protocol, a professional attitude, and feedback from patients are core keys to providing good healthcare experiences.
“Look around you; you will see signs of our training, such as staff in the ‘stand up’ position, bowing, smiling. This means, ‘I am a friend, and I am ready to serve you.’ All relationships begin with that critical smile.”
“I look forward to hearing about your experience when you’re finished,” he added, smiling.
Nurse Woo-ri, who did in fact speak polished English, was tasked with leading me through my two-day visit. For the sake of efficiency, all foreign guests are assigned personal aids who escort, answer questions, translate, address concerns, and take feedback from their patients.
I soon discovered that Sun Medical Center is staffed with people echoing nurse Woo-ri’s sentiment; eager to improve, and filled with the pride that accompanies hard work, world-class leadership, and spotless equipment — all of which was personally purchased in 2012 by CEO Sun.
Passing through the cafeteria, I was treated to an elaborate display of international foods with educational information provided for each dish.
“We serve Korean, Russian, Mongolian, western, Chinese and vegetarian meals here, in addition to meals to accommodate medical conditions,” explained Shin Jung-ok, chief of public relations.
After sampling some Mexican, Turkish and Russian treats, it was time to turn in.
My accommodations were similar to those of a five-star hotel, and included a large flat screen TV, internet, mini-refrigerator, Aveda bath products, and a platter of pastries — a far cry from my previous nightly stays in hospitals as a trauma patient. It was, simply put, a resort minus the beach and sightseeing.
Luxury aside, there is serious business going on at Sun Medical, and at 8 a.m. sharp, my day of tests began with a consultation with Sun Medical Foundation President and attending physician Youn Bang-bu.
We decided upon a customized program that combined the Center’s “Basic” package with an MRI of the brain, checking for adult diseases and cancer indications, general, dental, and female reproductive health, as well as vision and hearing tests.
This was to be my first MRI, and I was anxious. MRI technician Um Kee-seo, who boasts of 13 years experience and a soothing demeanor, was quick to sway those fears through a combination of techniques, including my preferred musical playlist. Like nurse Woo-ri, Um is keen to do his job well, and is one of 10 technicians in Asia to hold Special Radiology Technologist of MRI Certification. His mantra for success is simple: provide constant, personal attention to the patient through asking questions — and do it with a smile. He handed me his business card with a bow as I left, and welcomed me to contact him with any questions.
Moving from test to test with the delightfully informative Nurse Woo-ri by my side, CEO Sun’s protocol was evident in abundance: bowing, smiling, constant concern, and confident organization.
To combat the language barrier, the Sun Healthcare International has 10 English translators available, as well as one Japanese, three Russian, two Mongolian, one French, and five Chinese speakers. Of their 22 doctors, 10 speak English, and one is fluent in Chinese.
Still, Dr. Sun feels his work isn’t done yet in terms of accommodating his expat guests. In time, he envisions opening a floor exclusively for foreign guests, and he sees medical tourism growing.
“The costs we offer are a tenth of those in the United States, and we are always improving,” he said. “I want expats to have confidence in us, and that means service with a heart, especially as many of them came to Korea to experience something they cannot have in their own country.”
Perhaps what distinguishes The Sun Healthcare International most from the dauntingly impressive, mega-hospitals of Seoul is its “boutique” approach to healthcare: Its dimensions don’t require a map on hand, the center has the ability to provide the sort of personalized attention that larger facilities cannot, and above all, encouraged personalization of programs. I felt capable of navigating the facilities, and that my preferences dictated the schedule.
Most importantly to this patient, everyone was smiling.
To learn more about healthcare packages at the Sun Healthcare International, please visit https://eng.sunhospital.com/main/index.php.
The writer is a Canadian citizen living in Seoul as a performer and casting director. She welcomes questions, suggestions and feedback and can be reached at kfm@iwonderdesign.com.