Hospitals & Clinics in Korea

When traveling anywhere for a period of 1 month or more, it is extremely important to get Travel Insurance. Anything could happen, especially getting sick. There is an option of getting Korean Medical Insurance for Foreigners if you are staying in Korea for a very long period of time. If you have a job, they might cover your medical as well. But for travelers of 1 to 5 months, getting travel insurance is the best way to go. I understand you might want to avoid the hospital as much as possible as it is a little scary in a foreign country where the language is different as well. Depending on the severity of your illness, you can choose between going to the Clinic or Hospital. In both cases, make sure you have your Passport at all times. Going to a Clinic is pretty cheap to consult with the doctor and prescription medication or any medication from the Pharmacy is also extremely cheap. Got a cough? Just go to any pharmacy and ask for medicine. It will cost around 2,000₩ to 4,000₩. Going to the hospital is a different story. You have two options; either going to a "small hospital" or going to a University Hospital. University Hospitals are much more expensive and larger. You are probably looking at 1,000,000₩ ($1,000) a day for examinations, tests, room, medicine, food, and so on. Comparing to Canadian Hospitals, it is much cheaper for a foreigner to go to a Hospital in Korea than a Korean going to a Canadian Hospital. Now, probably the biggest question is: Do they speak English in Korean Clinics and Hospitals?? The answer to this question is complicated. In clinics, if the doctor owns his own practice, he might know a little bit of English to further support his Clinic. In smaller hospitals, there is the chance of the nurses or the doctors to speak a few words of English. In University Hospitals, usually the doctors working there are scholars, very successful, and skilled. There is a high chance of many doctors and nurses speaking English fluently or at a high level. My advice is to always have a translator app handy or let your Korean friends know you might need their help. Something you might experience in Korean Hospitals is the attitude towards Foreigners. Many nurses may become frustrated about the language barrier and will not treat the patients equally. This is something that is trying to be emphasized in nursing schools in Korea now days, to treat all patients as equals. If unfortunately you are going to the hospital, there a few things you should bring with you. - Passport & medical card of your county - Phone charger - Slip on shoes - Lip moisturizer These are something I forgot when I rushed to the hospital and it stressed me out tremendously. If you are not vomiting uncontrollably, take 5 minutes and collect some stuff to take with you.

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