The health and medical industry is expected to be a new growth engine industry in the future that creates high value added. Gyeonggi-do helps medical institutions in Gyeonggi-do enter an overseas market through active support policies.
Last year, Gyeonggi Province’s medical sector attracted more than 53 thousand overseas patients, a 15% increase from 2018. A big part of
this success came from countries that have signed medical cooperation MOUs with
the province including Vietnam, Mongolia, and Uzbekistan. The province is also
providing business counseling sessions for local medical enterprises seeking to
expand into overseas markets. This includes exports, medical/hospital
management training, and more.
As of 2012, the global healthcare market amounted to KRW 8 trillion, larger than the ICT and auto industries combined. The global
pharmaceutical market has grown at an annual average rate of 5.2% between 2010
to 2016, and the medical equipment market grew 2.7% annually between 2012 to
2017. Since healthcare is an essential service, the market is expected to
continue growing.
The Medical Industry of Gyeonggi-do
The health and medical sectors are expected to experience considerable
growth due to aging of populations in many parts of the world and advances in
medical technologies.
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| Gyeonggi-do has supported the overseas expansion of the medical and healthcare industries |
As Gyeonggi-do is planning to expand the presence of its medical
industries overseas and attract more foreign patients, there is a need for
active support policies such as the establishment of dedicated institutions and
customized strategies.
So far, reaching out to overseas markets has had positive
ripple effects generating KRW 1.23 trillion in production value, KRW 50.3
billion in the added-value inducement, and 6 thousand new jobs.
Gyeonggi Hospitals Attract Foreign Patients
1. Suwon Ajou University Medical Center
The Ajou University Medical Center has a multilingual medical
department that was established to help US military personnel, foreign
employees in the region, and international students. Ever since the
establishment of the center, the number of resident foreigners and visiting
foreigners seeking assistance at the center has increased due to the
high-quality care available.
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| The Ajou University Hospital in Suwon City, Gyeonggi-do ⓒ AJOU UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER |
Ajou University Medical Center prides itself on its
one-on-one care system which actively responds to and resolves patient needs.
For example, if a patient from abroad wishes to receive treatment, Ajou University
Medical Center will keep in touch with them through email before the patient’s
arrival in Korea. After arrival, a coordinator will oversee all related procedures,
such as making appointments, following through with treatment, managing schedules,
and so on. The hospitalized patient will have access to 24/7 on-call language assistance
and the coordinator will help the patient with post-operative care instructions
and prescriptions upon discharge. The hospital also offers services such as
airport pick-up, hotel reservations, and even sightseeing arrangements.
The center is trusted by the surrounding US military bases
and the hospital is a designated emergency center when US presidents visit. The
hospital has also been cooperating and sharing medical knowledge with many
medical institutions around the world.
2. Seoul National University Bundang Hospital
Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, one of the top
hospitals in the Gyeonggi-do area, offers multilingual medical services to
foreigners residing in Korea, visiting foreigners, and overseas Koreans. The
hospital aims to minimize language and cultural gaps that can affect a patient’s
medical experience.
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Seoul National University Bundang Hospital in Seongnam City, Gyeonggi-do
ⓒ 분당서울대학교병원 |
Seoul National University Bundang Hospital was the first
Korean hospital to receive the Global Healthcare Accreditation, which is awarded
based on international standards and norms related to medical travel. The
review process for accreditation assesses adherence with all medical care,
safety, and quality management guidelines related to medical services for
foreign patients, as well as quality standards for transportation,
accommodation, interpretation/translation, and religious/cultural support.
The services offered by the hospital include establishing a
treatment plan, communicating estimated costs, supporting medical reservations
for patient entry into Korea, offering language support, providing emergency
support, and more.
In addition, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital is a technology-forward institution that has established its own smart surgery system and education platform that
combines essential functions for medical staff in real hospitals by taking
advantage of its own strength as the nation's leading IT hospital.
3. Ilsan National Cancer Center
The National Cancer Center was founded in the early 2000s to
guide Korea’s battle against cancer. The center conducts research for prevention
strategies, early detection, basic cancer research, and more on national and
international levels.
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The National Cancer Center in Ilsan, Goyang City, Gyeonggi-do
ⓒ NATIONAL CANCER CENTER |
The center is striving to develop a new paradigm in
cancer-related research, offers superlative quality care, and functions as an
educational/training hub. It also operates an International Cancer Care Center
for the foreign nationals wishing to receive medical care.
In addition, the National Cancer Center has been working to
promote Korean medical standards and provide overseas Koreans with cancer screening opportunities. As the fight against cancer is an international
effort, the center has been part of many cooperative projects and agreements
with various medical institutions around the world.
Overseas Expansion: Current Status & Policies
Currently, Gyeonggi-do is actively expanding its pharmaceutical
and medical equipment exports while also working to attract foreign patients.
To further improve the global presence of the local medical industry, related
policies have been introduced by the local government.
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| Gyeonggi Province supports overseas expansion of medical business as well as attracting foreign patients. |
Gyeonggi-do Healthcare Industry Expansion Overseas
According to data provided by the Gyeonggi Research Institute,
Gyeonggi-do’s pharmaceutical exports amount to around USD 270 million, with the
main markets being Asian countries including China, Vietnam, and Japan.
The overseas export of medical equipment from Gyeonggi
Province amounted to USD 1.19 billion, with the main market being the United
States, followed by China, Japan, and Germany.
In terms of medical tourism, approximately 40 thousand
foreign patients visited Gyeonggi-do, accounting for KRW 5.6 billion in medical
transactions.
Overseas Health and Medical Industry Policies of Gyeonggi-do
Gyeonggi-do has supported the overseas expansion of the medical
and healthcare industries by implementing policies that facilitate international
cooperation and exchange.
Since 2010, Gyeonggi-do has signed health and medical
cooperation MOUs with 20 local governments in 12 countries. Through similar
efforts, the province has provided medical training to approximately 400 medical
personnel of various nationalities by connecting them with medical institutions
in the province.
The Gyeonggi-do Ordinance on Support for International
Medical Services was introduced to help improve the international
competitiveness of health and medical services in Gyeonggi-do, contribute to
the development of the local economy by fostering of international medical
projects, attract foreign patients, and support overseas advancement of medical
services. The ordinance stipulates the establishment and implementation of a
basic plan for supporting national medical projects, support for institutions
carrying out overseas medical advancement projects, and the establishment and
operation of an institution dedicated to attracting foreign patients.
Meanwhile, as the COVID-19 crisis poses challenges for global
cooperation projects, the Gyeonggi Provincial Government is planning various
non-face-to-face projects for the second half of the year to help advance
medical services abroad and attract foreign patients who currently have limited
access to overseas travel.
Medical tourism involves people traveling abroad to get medical treatment. Indicated to people. Went from less developed countries to major medical centers in highly developed countries.
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