Treatment in South Korea
South Korea is one of the leading Asian countries on medicine development. Because of the accelerated tempo of the state development, one of the advanced healthcare systems of the world was established. South Korean government provides the permanent support in medicine and carries out the strict control of the medical services quality. Because of such an approach, Korean hospitals have high-qualified professionals, who use the newest medical equipment for diagnostics and treatment. Due to several modern types of diagnostic equipment per capita, South Korean medical institutions are well ahead of such countries as Canada, Finland and France. The quality of all medications, applied while the treatment, is under governmental control as well. One of the best indicators of South Korean medicine is the high life expectancy in the country.
How does the foreign patient get the treatment in South Korean? 
What are the mainstreams of the treatment in South Korea?
Advantages and disadvantages of the treatment in South Korea
Visa issues and accommodation during the treatment in South Korea
Cost for treatment in South Korea
South Korean medical centers
Peculiarities of South Korean medicine
The basis of South Korean medicine are the approaches and the principles of the Evidence-Based Medicine, i.e. the concept of application of those diagnostic and treatment methods, which efficiency is proven by research. Therefore, South Korean doctors hold the biggest number of the medical research in the world. This allows developing both new, modern treatment approaches, and significant improving of the traditional ones.
One of the peculiarities of South Korean medicine is the harmonious synergy of the western and eastern treatment methods. Ancient medical practices typical for the entire eastern medicine are widely used in South Korea, as well as the specific Korean methods. Their application alongside with the modern high-tech methods allow significant widening of the treatment approaches and efficiency improvement.
Statistical data of the stomach cancer recovery is about 65%, being 30% higher than in other countries.
Infertility treatment efficiency goes over 70%.
How does the foreign patient get the treatment in South Korean?
Bookimed company adviser would assist you to organize the treatment in South Korea. The company works with mostly all the famous South Korean medical centers and assists to pass all the required procedures promptly, including:
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Delivery of disease anamnesis and results of diagnostics to certain doctors of South Korean medical centers
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Development of the treatment programs and informing of the treatment procedures costs
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Selection of the best matching treatment program
Having selected the medical center, medical visa is issued to let the foreign patient arrive to South Korea for the treatment. One should make the personal medical e-card just after the arrival, containing all the results of held tests, carried procedures and other information relevant to the treatment.
Mainstreams of the treatment in South Korea
The foreign patients have a special interest in the following treatment:
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Neurosurgery
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Plastic surgery
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Treatment of diseases of the cardio-vascular system;
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Robotic surgical systems.
South Korean medicine has reached significant success in treatment of the oncologic diseases and orthopedics, especially in grafting of knee and hip joints. South Korean doctors do not have any competitors all over the world in such surgeries, like implantation of artificial cochlea.
Visa issues and accommodation during the treatment in South Korea
South Korea does not require any visas for the short-term stay, i.e. up to 2 months according to the Decree on this issue as of Jan. 1, 2014. The following documents are required for the border crossing:
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Passport
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Return ticket
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Document to prove the solvency, i.e. printed hotel booking confirmation, tourist voucher
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Migration card
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Customs declaration
If the treatment in South Korea takes more time, the medical visa is required then. The following documents should be submitted to the Consulate of Republic of Korea:
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Passport
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Visa issue confirmation, i.e. the document submitted by the selected medical center in South Korea
The medical visas are issued within one day.
The level of prices in South Korea is a little higher than in Israel, but it is significantly lower than in Germany. For instance, lunch at the standard brasserie would cost about 3 USD per person.
The accommodation options in South Korea are available according to the personal wishes and financial opportunities. The chains of such famous hotels as Ritz Carlton, Renaissance and Hyatt operate in big South Korean cities. If you are on a budget, the local hotels Yeogwan are available for you with the rooms of 30 USD per night, or the hostels with the price up to 20 USD per night.
Besides the medical services, South Korean medical centers provide the foreign patients a wide range of the services to reach the maximal comfort of the stay in this country. They include:
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Translation services
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Accommodation
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Transfer to the treatment destination
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Assistance etc.
It is important to emphasize the interpreter availability. The people of South Korea speak Korean and usually do not have a good command of English. There is also a lack of signs and shields with double language inscriptions in the streets and in stores.
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Advantages of treatment in South Korea
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Disadvantages of treatment in South Korea
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Brand new medical equipment
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High level of the doctors qualification
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State control of the treatment quality
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Principles of the Evidence-Based medicine
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Comprehensive treatment approach
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Prompt visa issue procedure
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Affordable treatment cost
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Language barrier
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Local cuisine
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Cost for treatment in South Korea
The price level for the medical services at South Korean medical centers is 20-30% lower for the similar ones in USA or Western Europe. The locals have the option of the medical insurance to cover 60-80% of the treatment expenditures. Besides that, State Insurance Corporation controls the cost for treatment of the people of South Korea to keep the prices of the medical centers on a certain level with no increase.
Bookimed company offer the same service for its patients. The experts of the company would carry out the revision of the treatment program bill of South Korean medical centers free-of-charge and would approve the justification of costs.
South Korean medical centers
The foreign patients are allowed to treat at the public medical centers of South Korea as of 2009. It significantly broads the choice availabilities. The most famous medical centers are:
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Samsung – one of the best multidisciplinary medical centers in South Korea located in Seoul. It contains 40 departments and 120 centers. The main directions of the medical center activity is the treatment of oncologic, cardio-vascular and neurologic diseases, as well as the organs transplantation. Samsung medical center has the status of Presidential Standards Hospital.
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Gil – famous multidisciplinary Korean hospital of Gachon University (Incheon). Founded in 1958 as the medical center special for females. Nowadays aside from Department for Gynecology, the medical center has Department for Cardiology, Neurosurgery, Otolaryngology, Dental Center and Center for Emergency Medical Care. Innovative medical research and development is held at the medical center as well.
Feedback
My father was put a diagnosis of the lung cancer at the latter stage. The urgent surgery was required, while our hospital had a queue for a month in advance. Hence, we decided to treat in South Korea. My parents arrived at Seoul where the Russian-speaking representative met them and transferred to the hospital immediately. All required tests were held in two hours and the surgery was carried out within three days. My father stayed at the hospital for two more weeks. He told the entire staff had been very caring with no language barrier as the interpreters were available through all the time. He has had all the courses of chemo; the condition is satisfactory right now. Korean doctors are real professionals.
Svetlana, Irkutsk
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