As part of its goal to boost medical tourism, the South Korean Cabinet has recently approved a set of bills to relax restrictions on marketing activities by local medical institutions targeting foreign patients. The bills now await parliamentary approval.
Lee Young-ho of the Korea Medicine Overseas Promotion Council reacted positively to the news, saying that deregulation will promote medical tourism.
“For the past few years, it is true that hospitals were unable to find patients, who, in turn, have difficulty in finding the right doctors for their treatment. Now, both sides will benefit from the system. The council will monitor whether agencies are taking excessive commissions.'
Most medical tourists visiting South Korea come for dental care, plastic surgery and general checkups. According to the Korea Tourism Organization (KNTO), the first target are cosmetic-surgery patients from Singapore, China, Hong Kong and Japan. Next in line are dental patients from Russia and Mongolia. The last target are American patients who do not have private health insurance, Japanese patients seeking hemodialysis and other foreign national seeking specialised healthcare in the country.
The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Family Affairs as well as President Lee Myung-bak has designated medical tourism as one of the nation's growth engines for the next five years. The country plans to attract 100,000 medical tourists by 2012.
However, there are still lingering obstacles to making Korea a medical tourism hub.
Won Young-sun of Wooridul Spine Hospital called for an expedited visa application process for medical travellers. “We have patients willing to come to Korea for treatment but who give up due to complicated visa procedures.' He added that the country also needs medical staff and coordinators able to speak foreign languages for the convenience of customers.
Meanwhile, the move to ease existing laws on medical advertising will also benefit local residents. Hospitals will be able to provide free transportation and offer discounts on medical treatment and accommodation to Koreans not covered by domestic health insurance. Under the current medical law legislated in 1951 and last revised in 1973, such incentives and activities are banned.
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