 Medical Care in
Korea: Health Care, Hospitals, Pharmacies, Vaccinations
and More
**As always: consult your personal
physician about your health needs**
What is offered
here is a sampling of personal opinion and experience
and Internet information and is not intended to be a
personal health care guide, but rather an overview of
the medical care system in Korea.
The quality of
medical care in Korea can be very good or iffy,
depending where you go. There are numerous neighborhood
general practitioners that
can provide
treatment for minor health problems. Local hospitals
outside of Seoul or Busan can diagnosis more serious conditions, but usually
refer patients to
larger hospitals for treatment.
Although Korea historically
has had an Oriental approach to
medical care, relying on herbal medicines and
acupuncture for treatment of many
ailments, doctors today have received their education
and training with a
Western medical approach. A large number of doctors have
also attended
medical schools in the United States, Britain, and other
Western countries.
Finding doctors and dentists that speak English is
usually not difficult,
even doctors at most small neighborhood clinics will
have enough English
speaking ability to get by for minor problems.
The three hospitals listed below provide high quality
medical care. For a
more complete list of hospitals and hospitals that have
English speaking
staff contact the U.S. Embassy website: http://seoul.usembassy.gov/
health.html
Samsung Medical Center (which includes an International
Health
Services unit dedicated to the care of foreign
residents)
Address: #50, Ilwon-dong, Kangnam-ku, Seoul
Telephone: 02-3410-2114, 3410-3114
Emergency telephone. 02-3410-2060, 3410-2061
Website: http://www.samsunghospital.com/
Asan Medical Center (which is associated with Harvard
Medical
International)
Address: 388-1, Pung Nap-dong, Song Pa-ku, Seoul;
Telephone: 02-1688-7575;
Emergency telephone: 02-3010-3333;
International Clinic Telephone: 02-3010-5001;
Website http://www.amc.seoul.kr/eng/index.jsp
Severance Hospital (which is a member of the
international
networks of the Massachusetts General Hospital and the
New York-
Presbyterian Hospital)
Address: 134 Sinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-752;
Telephone: 82-2-2228-0114, 82-2-2228-0114;
Website http://www.severance.or.kr ,
What about emergency medical services?
Emergency medical services are available by calling 119,
the fire
department’s emergency ambulance service. Unfortunately,
you may not
be understood if speaking in English, especially in
smaller cities or rural areas. Ambulances will usually
respond quickly, but will not have the same
level of equipment or staffing as an ambulance in the
United States.
What
are the Pharmacies in Korea like?
Pharmacies are easy to find in Korea, most being located
near hospitals or
clinics. The pharmacies are well-supplied, though not
all psychiatric
medications may be available. Many medications that
require a doctor
prescription (such as antibiotics) in the United States
can be obtained over
the counter in Korea, although the list of those drugs
has become smaller in
recent years due to government regulations.
As with
doctors, it is usually
not too difficult to find a pharmacist that has at least
enough English ability
to communicate your needs.
What immunizations are recommended before moving to
Korea?
MD Travel Health:
http://www.mdtravelhealth.com/destinations/asia/south_korea.html recommends
certain
vaccinations before entering South Korea. You should compare this
with recommendations made by your own government's embassy in
South
Korea as there may be slight differences.
**As always: consult your personal
physician about your health needs**
What is offered
here is a sampling of personal opinion and experience
and Internet information and is not intended to be a
personal health care guide, but rather an overview of
the medical care system in Korea.
The author of
this page is NOT a physician and has had no medical
training. Consult your physician for your concerns
and questions.
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