To buy medicine, you need to visit a pharmacy. Korean pharmacies sell both prescription and over-the-counter medicines. Over-the-counter medicines include digestive medicines, nutritional medicines, vitamins, antipyretic and painkillers, cold and flu medicines, and so on. A doctor's prescription is required for antibiotics, hormones, and special painkillers. Below is a detailed description of medical services in Korea, medical services for foreigners, and information on health insurance and other medical services.
Medical system in Korea
There are many types of medical institutions in Korea, including general hospitals, Korean hospitals, private hospitals, and health centers. And with professional medical staff and advanced medical equipment, they provide quality medical services to patients. Especially, ophthalmology, surgery, dentistry, orthopedics can be called in the world, and heart surgery is also ranked among the top. With the dramatic increase in the number of foreigners visiting or staying in Korea, many medical institutions in Korea have opened international treatment centers to provide high-level medical services to meet the medical needs of foreigners and to meet world standards.
Medical institutions in Korea can be broadly categorized into A, B, and C based on the size of their departments and facilities. If you want to go to a class A hospital, you will need a certificate of accreditation from a class B or C hospital, otherwise you will not be eligible for health insurance and may even have to pay expensive fees. In the case of foreigners, although they can also directly utilize the medical services of Class A hospitals, they have to bear higher medical fees.
Class A includes general hospitals and university hospitals. Class A hospitals cover all departments and also provide specialized emergency services and have 500 beds.
Class B hospitals not only have more than four departments, but also provide inpatient and outpatient services. In addition, it has 300 to 400 beds and an emergency room.
Class C includes private hospitals and health centers. Class C hospitals have fewer departments and mainly provide medical services for the prevention of disease or early treatment.
Appointment booking
You can book an appointment in advance by phone, website, direct access, or fax. This will enable the majority of patients to enjoy a faster and more convenient service. To make an appointment directly at the hospital, please bring your health insurance card with you. Simply fill out the appointment request form and submit it to the information desk.
Paying Medical Bills
Payment of medical bills is made at the hospital's administrative office. Credit cards are accepted at almost all Korean hospitals. If there is an international medical center, you can also pay your medical bills through the medical center. They will also help you prepare the documents you need to pay. In addition, most hospitals issue invoices in English for foreigners. Medical fees vary depending on whether you have medical insurance or not. Some overseas insurance policies are also available at Korean hospitals. For medical expenses incurred in Korea, it is sufficient to pay out of pocket and then reimburse your home country's insurance company.