What can South Korea, the country popular for advanced hi-tech electronics, computers, cars and mobile phones, offer to the world hungry for affordable 5-star type medical care?
Home of LG, Samsung, Hyundai, Kia and a couple dozen other worldwide famous brands, South Korea is the leader of several key industries in the world. Its advanced technology, well-developed infrastructure and large capital are the foundation of its superiority in engineering, construction, machinery, textiles, petrochemicals, biotechnology and robotics.
One other field where the country is rapidly making progress is medical technology. Not just on the production side, Korea has outstanding repute in the medical service sector as well. It is thus no surprise that Korea is emerging as one of the leaders in the global healthcare service industry.
KOREA AS A MEDICAL POWER
The medical prowess of Korea lies in many areas and there is plenty that Westerners can benefit from. Because world-class healthcare is available at a fraction of cost of similar care in the US, Canada, the UK and other Western countries, many from abroad are attracted to “The Land of the Morning Calm”.
“We recently partnered with the highly acclaimed Wooridul Spine Hospital (WSH) in South Korea so our customers from North America, Asia and Asia Pacific regions will find it more convenient to travel there for their spinal treatments,” comments CEO of Healthbase, Saroja Mohanasundaram, whose award-winning medical tourism company connects patients to leading hospitals worldwide for low cost high quality healthcare.
Established in 1982, Wooridul Spine Hospital has more than 25 years of experience in providing systematic spine management as a total care system covering spine disease prevention, diagnosis, test, treatment and rehabilitation. WSH has innovated many cutting-edge technologies and methodologies for spine treatment. For example, it has developed a unique endoscope suited for more accurate diagnosis and fast treatment. In addition, it has developed its own original surgical method and boasts of a 99.9% success rate.
Besides spine treatments, Korea is highly regarded for delivering successful infertility treatments, plastic surgery, dental care, wellness screenings, organ transplantation, cardiac procedures, traditional Korean medicine and others to foreign patients.
The role of the Korean government cannot be ignored in this respect.
GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTION TO HEALTHCARE
The Council for Korea Medicine Overseas Promotion (CKMP) and Korea Ministry of Health, for example, execute several projects to promote Korea healthcare to international communities.
Notes Mohanasundaram, “Being a business leader in the medical tourism industry, Healthbase was invited by the reputed CKMP to their “Fam Tour of Korea Healthcare” this past summer. We already have one world-class healthcare provider from South Korea in our network, and through this visit we look forward to establishing more partnerships. The Fam Tour allowed us the opportunity to assess the Korean healthcare so we can bring what’s best for our customers.”
KOREAN MEDICAL TOURISM
Korean healthcare may not be the least expensive around, but, its use of cutting-edge medical equipments, innovative surgical methods, abundant experience and expertise, high success rates, and patient-oriented service make it a unique destination for medical tourism. And while you are there, you can refresh yourself in the beautiful surroundings rich in historical, natural, religious, cultural as well as metropolitan attractions.
SPEAK: Spine surgery patients tell their tales
16 years of excruciating pain led Canadian registered nurse to India “I have a bucket list to do this year,” says 49-year old Jill Misangyi of Toronto, Canada, who never thought she could qualify for adventures such as sky diving, scuba diving and motorcycling. Until her spine fusion surgery in India last summer coordinated by Healthbase, even getting out of the bed was a chore for her. The registered nurse had suffered from debilitating back pain for a bit too long – 16 years.
When NHS doctors put her on the waiting list again and Canadian private neurosurgeons labeled her “drug-dependent and too high a risk for surgery”, Jill flew 8,000 miles straight to India and since then she says, “My life has taken a total turn around for the good.”
“I have been off all pain medication for at least 9 months and am back exercising building muscle,” writes Jill thanking Healthbase, her medical travel agent. “I really do have a second chance at life,” she adds.
Years of pain and longing for his active former life made Canadian proceed to Mexico “My physician was a skilled surgeon, who demonstrated compassion and ‘spirituality’, seldom seen in Canadian physicians,” says Robert Orser of Canada about his Mexican spine surgeon. Yet another victim of the long wait in Canada, Robert recently had his spinal fusion and decompression procedure in Mexico.
“The equipments used at the hospital were first rate and I think I saved at least $50,000 by having my surgery in Mexico as opposed to having it done at a private hospital in Canada,” he adds.
When asked about his thoughts on going abroad for surgery, he says, “I had reservations about this, but the pain and my wanting to return to my former life made me proceed. There was no need to worry. I was treated with respect and everyone was my friend during my time in Mexico.”
With the rise of medical tourism to South Korea for state of the art healthcare and in particular, the spinal surgeries offered through Wooridul Spine Hospital, Healthbase anticipates that South Korea will become a top destination for medical tourism in the upcoming years.
Awarded the best medical tourism website of 2007, Healthbase strives to provide alternatives to costly medical care and dental care. Healthbase arranges first-class no-wait health treatment for patients at leading internationally-accredited medical and dental facilities in India, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, South Korea, Turkey, Hungary, Belgium, Costa Rica, Panama, Brazil, Mexico and USA, and expanding to UK, Canada, Taiwan, Argentina, El Salvador and Guatemala. Cost of care at Healthbase’s partner hospitals is a fraction of that found in the US with equal or superior outcomes. At Healthbase.com, patients can arrange treatment, travel, and accommodation without ever leaving home. Healthbase caters to the needs of individual consumers, self-insured businesses, insurance carriers and third party administrators seeking affordable medical travel and dental travel options. For more information, visit www.Healthbase.com.
