These foreigners never quit bitching, do they?
Getting treated by doctors with booze on their breath, doctors who don’t wash their hands, doctors who don’t wear surgical gloves when they draw blood… these are the major complains from foreign patients who have visited four Seoul university hospitals. This would suggest that in the view of foreign patients coming mainly from developed nations like the United States and Europe, there’s a problem in the level of Korean medical treatment. Currently, some 300,000 foreigners are covered by Korean medical insurance, while 17,000 foreigners come to Korea for treatment a year.
The biggest complaint from foreign patients is that Korean hospitals and medical teams are unconcerned with sterilization and sanitation. With outpatient treatment, two or three treatment rooms are left open and doctors come and go to do examinations, but doctors don’t wash their hands, they say.
Other complaints — at the ear, nose and throat specialist, they stick the endoscope up your nose, wipe it off once with gauze and up the next patient’s nose it goes; they’ve seen dentists give oral treatment without gloves; and doctors don’t wear gloves when they take blood.
In US hospitals, doctors wear single-use surgical gloves even when they take blood from your forearm. Korean Network Hospital Association president Park In-chul, a dentist by trade, said it’s mandatory for Chinese hospitals that take foreigners, regardless of how small, to employ a nurse who specializes in sterilization and sanitation.
The Chosun points out that there are many things Koreans just overlook that foreign patients find objectionable. For example, a) having to pay before even seeing a doctor, b) doctors who make their diagnosis while leisurely sipping a cup of coffee, c) doctors who sometimes have booze on their breath, d) mixing digestives, vitamins antacids and other medicines that have nothing to do with the illness being treated into prescriptions.
Marmot’s Note: Never noticed these things, but then again, I’ve never been a clean freak. Moreover, having experienced getting my dried-blood encrusted head shaved with a single razor blade in a hospital in Morogoro, Tanzania (nice town, BTW, and at least the nurses were cute… despite being Catholic nuns), my bar for proper medical care is probably considerably lower than that of many people. And heck, at least Korean medical care is relatively cheap — just ask your gyopo friends!
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
In the early 1980s, I was taking a week’s leave and went on a road trip to Masan. I had a great time getting there and back but one of the stranger points was seeing an entire busload of Koreans inoculated against cholera (there was an outbreak)with a single needle.
I guess I’ve seen too many Westerns, but drunken doctors don’t surprise me. Now, you’d think that doctors who smoke could at least put down the ciggie when diagnosing you….
No Dr. Cox in Korean hospitals?
No Drinking!
I’ve been to the doctor many times here. Treatment has ranged from excellent to appalling. I guess it’s the same in the US. The difference here is that it’s about 30x cheaper.
I do wonder about the plethora of pills I get. For a migraine headache, they gave me a happy pill (anti-anxiety) among 4 others to wash away my cares. I appreciated that.
Some doctors just want to get rid of you as fast as possible, while others seem pleased to have a patient on which to try their English.
I haven’t seen a lot of the sterlization issues listed, but I have seen quite a bit of blood safety and rubber gloves by all staff coming into contact with it. No less than at any hospital back home.
I do understand the complaint about paying first, though. Went in for a procedure, paid for the “consultation” and basically answered three questions that I was asked on the phone when I made my appointment: “What’s your name? You want ____ procedure? Are you sure?” That’ll be W30,000 sang you bery muchee. I had three such “consultations” for the procedure, and then in the end had an intern do it. The doctor wasn’t even in the room. What the hell did I pay the guy W90,000 for?
Also, I was on death’s door for a ruptured appendix (got an ambulance ride and everything), but the hospital wouldn’t admit me without a W500,000 downpayment. They just let me lay these semi-unconscious in the emergency room. If I had gone into the emergency room by myself, I’d be dead. Luckily the waegukin handler in my office was there with me to pay for me out of his own pocket.
No complaints about dentistry so far, but I go to one who deals with foreigners all the time. Foreign schooled and trained, and has the same standards I’m used to with my home dentist.
The down payment policy still standing during emergency situation is pretty fucked up…
But the plus side is that it is dirt cheap compared to here. My mom had to get a D&C to see if her uterine fibroid advanced to malignancy (it was benign. Yay!!!), and then they did a CT. She stayed in the hospital overnight.
The grand total (before insurance)? $16,651. I don’t even want to know what the costs are after her hysterectomy.
Now I understand why that guy in Sicko gave up his middle finger.
I wonder which four hospitals they are talking about. I’ve never experienced anything like the complaints listed and I’ve been treated several times at Samsung Medical Center and SNU Medical Center.
(Got obstetric and prenatal care at Samsung, gave birth there, and have been routinely had my blood drawn to check a chronic medical condition in both places. In both hospitals, the techs used very proper infection control precautions (removed needles from sterile packaging, wore rubber gloves, etc.)
I do agree with the over-prescribing of medication, though, and the mixing of actual medication with the vitamins, supplements, etc.
Also, my daughter got most of her well-baby checks and other pediatric care at Yong Dong Severance. She received what I consider a very high standard of care, and you better believe I was watchful.
For the most part medical attention I received when living in Korea was at an acceptable standard.
It’s a bit worrisome though when walking into a smoked filled Chemist(Drugstore).
Also doctors in Korea have no idea and even display blatant ignorance about people with disabilities as most Koreans with a congenital birth defect or mentel illness are adopted overseas.
When’s the last time a doctor in either country held a needle? I’ve never seen anyone but nurses deal with that part of the medical procedures. Anecdotal, perhaps, but I’m pretty sure that’s the standard.
I’ve been in some places that have been both grungy (dentist- yuck!) and spotless. I don’t know what the regulations are here in Korea, but I suspect they exist and are only haphazardly enforced.
My favorite Korean hospital story:
Back in 99′, A journalist friend of mine went into SNUH with some severe stomach pains. His doctor spoke passable English and said he was the top gastroenterologist in Seoul.
Doc billed him 1.5 million won for several “special” tests, and then told him that the results were inconclusive. He then suggested that he could bring in another “top” doctor to consult, and that it would cost him 2 million more.
Guy was desperate and agreed. Went through several more “special” (read: expensive) tests, and after a few more days, he went back in and the two doctors gave him their diagnosis. Appendicitis. They told him he would have to pay 6-8 million more to get his appendix removed.
My friend then proceeded to tell them two things:
1. He had his appendix removed in 1994.
2. He wanted his 3.5 million won back, plus 2 million more for wasting his time. If he didn’t get it, he told them he was going to write a story for his international newspaper about his experience and name the hospital and doctors.
Within 45 minutes, he had 5.5 million won in hand.
I have a chronic condition which requires a vitiamin B12 shot every month. I can give the shot myself, but I don’t like to do it. I was going to the Korean doctor every month anyway, to get refills on blood pressure medicine, and my vial of B12 liquid was out of date. So I explained the situation to the Korean doctor and asked if the nurse would give me the B12 shot each month. He readily agreed.
The first time, she used the exact same vial of B12 that I brought in as an example to give my shot. I thought, maybe they don’t have any B12 today. But ever since, they give me the shot using that same bottle I originally brought in!
I’m not too worried, a family friend/ pharmacist told me that unless you see things floating in it, B12 can last a lot longer than the stated shelf life. But still, I don’t think they would do this back in the States.
I haven’t seen any sanitation issues, but I’ll pay closer attention after reading this story.
My friend went into that crazy hospital in Hannam-dong (near Itaewon) because it was the closest one to his house. It was late on a Sunday night / early Monday morning and my friend was in severe pain because of a kidney stone. I will spare you all of the stupid things that happened except for this one. The ER doctor wasn’t even a doctor – he was an intern. They only had ONE doctor (well the intern) working that night…wtf???
Sorry – the moral of the story – avoid that place like the plague.
Personally, I prefer coked up dentists to booze breath doctors.
I’ve been to several doctors here for several different problems. I’ve only had one that I felt was trustworthy and competent. I’ve had two doctors tell me that I needed surgery for two unrelated problems. In both cases I didn’t need surgery. I wish doctors would use gloves more often. I don’t think they hygienic standards are up to snuff.
If you ever have a problem and you know a doctor here have him introduce you to the appropriate specialist. I can tell you that the level of care you get will increase dramatically and the price just might go down for you. Don’t trust Korean doctors. Once you know what your problem is research it on the internet.
Never go to a doctor. Y’aint gonna know that yer gonna die til someone tells ya, right? Psychosomatics in application, mertha fyocko!
And no matter what the Korean doctors say, you are programmed to believe them. Man, this world is sad. Sad like a Tolstoy novella. Which means rewarding. Unless you’re a Buddhist, in which case I refer you to wjk with his various witticisms and subtle conversions.
Buddha for Korea 2008!
Those foreigners who complained about the booze-breathed doctors had better not be from Britain.
Jesus! I wish I could excuse this medical condition through virtue of my genes. North Americans have done great, excusing slavery and cracking down on the unions or whatever it is we used to do.
Jesus! I wish I could excuse this medical condition through virtue of my genes. North Americans have done great, excusing slavery and cracking down on the unions or whatever it is we used to do.
“Those foreigners who complained about the booze-breathed doctors had better not be from Britain.”
At leasts the dentists better not be. Have you seen what they do to British teeth?
One of my co-workers, who was morbidly obese, went to see a doctor for a checkup. The doctor asked him if he had a savings plan. My co-worker said, “yes, why?” The doctor says, “what the hell for? You’re not going to live to see it!”
The grand total (before insurance)? $16,651. I don’t even want to know what the costs are after her hysterectomy.
Under McCain, who brilliantly thought of giving $5000 credit for medical care, your mom would only owe about $11,651. And my sister, who has a rare eye condition that requires the attention of a top specialist, would only have to chuck out $2000 just to talk to the guy. What a country!
I had several doctors who always had booze breath. I thought that was just an unlucky thing… I guess booze breath docs are more common than I thought.
However, my personal favorite is booze breath taxis. I ran into that a few times. One even offered me a shot of soju. Yes, I am the strange foreigner that puts on the seat belt in the back of a taxi… I even had a taxi kick me out 6 years ago because I put on the belt.
Great story, IHBB. Appendicitis is a popular diagnosis for abdominal pain in China, too. On three separate occasions, intervention saved foreign friends – who ate something they shouldn’t have – easy enough to do in China – from an unnecessary operation.
Funk, which hospital? There’s more than one in the area.
what’s never talked about is, how US ER’s keep bleeding money, and how the govt doesn’t reimburse them, and how ya’ll are getting a higher bill to cover for that ideal of treating everyone and everybody. Along with the world’s most unrestrained medical tort winnings system. Think Senator Johnathan Edwards.
I think it’s pretty reasonable that Korea won’t treat you, unless you put down money. Social services in the fascist totalitarian mercantilist state is about 15 years old at best.
I think pretty much every socialized medical service is a giant hole in the pocket for govts that do it.
Korea has no obligation to treat foreigners. It’s rather odd, you won’t be Korean citizens, after marrying Korean citizens, but whatever.
An interesting paradox comes about, when US gyopos travel to Korea to take care of things, though. At the expense of Koreans, who actually pay taxes, eat Chinese pesticide laden food, and pay more for their Hyundais. It’s just a queesy feeling.
but, whatever.
If you’re Korean and don’t support KOR-US FTA, go ram your head into a pole.
Unless it’s a procedure that a doctor should do, like a spinal tap, pleural tap, doctors minimize exposures to needles. Nurses minimize exposures to needles too. Put in an IV, but no blood draws for CBC’s. Exception on this list is the medical student, who should ideally try everything and be proficient. I think at the lowest end of the chain is the phlebotomist. No one explained it to me, but the idea seems simple. No need to expose myself to possible needle stick situations. Thanks Hiv, HepB, HepC.
WJK, you’ve outdone yourself.
“Koreans have no obligation to treat foreigners.”
Your generosity and humanity are outstanding. It warms the heart to know that you would let a bleeding westerner die on the steps of a Korean hospital.
I’ve never responded to your lame-brained posts before, and won’t again; but as I said– you’ve outdone yourself.
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