SEOUL, April 9 (Korea Bizwire) — A growing number of South Korean hospitals are reporting financial difficulties as their outpatient numbers have dropped significantly due to the COVID-19 outbreak. According to a survey of 62 hospitals conducted by the Korean Medical Association (KMA) the number of outpatients dropped by an average of 16.3 percent (44.5 [...]
SEOUL, March 24 (Korea Bizwire) — With the novel coronavirus spreading rapidly across the globe, the medical community in South Korea has been hit hard by the outbreak as well – in a surprising way. Rather than being overcome with patients, some clinics are actually facing a dearth of patients that is having a significant [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 14 (Korea Bizwire) — Due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, which was recently dubbed COVID-19, hospitals culture in South Korea is also changing. With strict control over all hospital visitors, the culture of friends and family members visiting patients is changing. A recent hospital visit confirmed the precautions that hospital officials are [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 8 (Korea Bizwire) — Starting later this year, emergency rooms in all hospitals will be equipped with stronger security. The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on Tuesday that starting on July 1, new legislation will come into effect that will oblige all emergency rooms to increase their security. In effect, all emergency [...]
SEOUL, Apr. 5 (Korea Bizwire) – Psychiatric hospitals, clinics, and medical centers with high rates of violence will now be obliged to install emergency bells and doors, and hire security staff. Legislation will be amended to heavily punish those resorting to violence against medical staff and patients inside medical institutions, regardless of whether the aggressor [...]
CHUNCHEON, Jan. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — Gangwon Province’s ‘Hospital Ward without Guardian’ initiative is gaining a positive response from residents. The system was aimed at reducing the economic burden on the underprivileged. The province has been providing the service as a pilot project from August 2013, and had offered 6,422 patients 24-hour care for an [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean medical institutions are in shock after a patient fatally stabbed a doctor at a major hospital in Seoul. South Korean police reported that on December 31, a patient at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital stabbed a psychiatrist multiple times in the chest. South Korean hospitals have pointed out that [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — Doctors are pushing to enact a law to prevent the recurrence of a recent attack against a renowned psychiatrist by his patient, a medical association said Wednesday. On Monday, a 30-year-old man suffering from bipolar disorder stabbed his doctor, Lim Se-won, to death during a consultation at Kangbuk Samsung [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Korea Bizwire) — Nearly 9 trillion won (US$7.92 billion) is spent a year to treat diseases caused by health-harming habits, data from the National Health Insurance Service showed Friday. Records provided for parliamentary audit showed the medical cost due to bad habits, such as smoking, drinking and obesity, amounted to 8.9 trillion [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 15 (Korea Bizwire) — Among inhabitants of OECD member countries, South Koreans were found to visit hospitals most frequently for outpatient medical treatment. The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on Sunday that South Koreans visit the doctor for outpatient treatment at least 17 times annually per person, which is the highest among [...]