Count Down of the Global Hospitals’ Advancement

Various American, extra-large major hospitals such as Johns Hopkins Hospital, which has been frequently used by Korean famous and wealthy people, have entered into the count down of their advancement in Korea.

According to the Medical Organization and the city of Incheon on 3rd, it has been proven that four large American hospitals of Johns Hopkins Hospital, Massachusetts General Medical Hospital of Harvard University Medical School, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Kaiser Permanente Hospital is in process of discussing with the city of Incheon regarding their move into the Free Economy Zone of Incheon which will be designated in this coming July.

Despite of the expensive medical examination fee, these hospitals have the greatest medical examination system and medical treatment service, thus it is observed that their successful advancement of their advancement, will cause a stormy blast throughout the Korea’s Medical market, which have been leveled.

▽To what stage has it been advanced? = The city of Incheon clarified that they already orally agreed on their allurement with these hospitals and they are currently in the process of negotiating the detailed move in conditions.

Incheon sees that it will be difficult to allure all four hospitals at once realistically so it is planning to allure two hospitals at first during the first stage.

The city plans to provide about 10,000 ~ 100,000 pyong (=about 3.954 sq. yds) of land located in the new city of Songdo’s 1st and 3rd regions in Dongchun-dong, Yoensu District and the reclaimed land of northwest region of Gyeongseo-dong, Seo District along with financing up to 70% of the construction fund at a low interest rate if the hospitals advance in successfully.

Ahn Sang-su, mayor of Incheon added, “These hospitals are watching the progress of the Korean Medical Law’s revision but if the conditions are right, they are ready to move in at any time. It is more likely that Johns Hopkins Hospital of the greatest standard in the world, will advance in first.”

It is known that these hospitals are, as their move in conditions, demanding the revision of the Special Law of the Free Economy Zone, which allows the medical examination of the foreigner but prohibits the examination of Korean patients.

By inserting an article which says ‘They will not be applicable to the Korean Medical Related Law.’ into the Enforcement Ordinance of the Special Law which will be made before this coming July, they see that it will open a way for them to practice medical examination to Korean patients as well.

Currently the Health Authorities shows their policy of absolute impossibility of foreign Medical Corporation to practice the medical examination act on Korean patients and this attracts attention on the possible changes in the future.

▽Expected Crisis = Even if the medical examination on Korean patients is not allowed at the moment, it is expected that the advancement of these hospitals which will take the full responsibility of medical examination on the foreign patients within the Free Economy Zone, will bring about an enormous changes to Korea’s Medical Market.

The advancement of these hospitals are according to the Special Law but it signifies the release of many acts which are currently prohibited by the existing Medical Law such as △ Establishment of Commercialized Hospital by foreigner △ Medial Examination by Holder’s of Foreign Medical License △ International Monetary Transfer of the Medical Profits, and etc.

Korean Medical Market sees their advancement as the signal of the entire open door policy on Medical Market and is bristling up their senses.

Lee In-sung, the executive planning policy director of the Korean Doctors’ Society said, “These hospitals will demand the entire open door policy of the medical services and the introduction of the civil insurance once they advance in successfully and it will definitely crisis will arise by it.”

Shin Hyung-ho, a professional medical lawyer, stated “When these foreign hospitals successfully advance into Korea, they will surely make their supporters, thus the chain dispersion of the Korean hospitals having frail capital fund will be inevitable.”

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