Excellence In Korean Healthcare

EXCELLENCE IN KOREAN HEALTHCARE KHIDI Abu Dhabi, PO Box 130073, Abu Dhabi, UAE TEL + 971-2-643-4422 (ext.238) khidiabudhabi@gmail.com

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2018

High-quality medical care for patients in the Middle East

Facilitating collaborations Mr David Sung Eun Hwang, Director General of the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), elaborates on how the body is promoting Korean healthcare systems

Collaborations and agreements between medical service providers of both countries allow friendly high-quality Korean medical care for patients in the UAE and the region

n how many countries in the Middle East and Africa does Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) work to promote the Korean health industry?

KHIDI is promoting Korean healthcare in most of the GCC countries in the Middle East and some countries such as Morocco, Nigeria and Algeria in Northern Africa and South Africa. Not only do we promote Korean healthcare and its excellence in the Middle East and Africa, we are also promoting our pharmaceuticals and medical devices in the region.

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How many patients have been sent to Korea for treatment and how many have received Korean treatment here in different hospitals?

Patients started going to Korea for treatment from 2009. That year we had around 600 patients going from the GCC countries to Korea. In 2017 we had around 7,300 patients arriving in Korea for various kinds of treatments. Every year we have hundreds of patients visiting Korean-collaboration-run hospitals in the GCC. These include those approaching Korean medicine clinics and pain centres too.

Picture courtesy: Shaikh Khalifa Specialty Hospital

BY LATHA KRISHNAN he Excellence of Korean healthcare is increasingly being experienced in many hospitals and clinics all over the Middle East.

Whether it is traditional Korean medicine or world-class modern medicine and medical procedures, the patients in these countries receive friendly high-quality medical care that is safe, effective, patient centred, timely, efficient and equitable. In the UAE, there are hospitals run in collaboration with Korean hospitals as well as Korean clinics that have established their own outlets.

Sheikh Khalifa Specialty Hospital (SKSH) in Ras Al Khaimah managed by Seoul National University Hospital is a Referral Hospital overseen by The Medical Office of the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, which oversees hospitals under the initiative of His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE. Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH), South Korea’s most prestigious tertiary and teaching hospital, officially signed an agreement as the operator and manager of SKSH-RAK in 2014.

At present SKSH is equipped with stateof-the-art medical equipment and internationally renowned clinical experts to deliver world-class healthcare. It has three Centres of excellence: Oncology Centre; Cardiovascular Centre; Neuroscience Centre; and five clinical divisions in medicine, surgery, imaging and laboratory, and emergency medicine.

Wooridul Spine Centre offers two UAE based specialist centres entirely dedicated to the treatment of spinal injuries and chronic back pain and is conveniently located at Healthpoint in Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi and on Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. Surgeries performed at Wooridul Spine Centre are performed by renowned Korean spine surgeons who are pioneers in minimally-invasive spinal surgery, utilising endoscopic and microscopic laser technology to effectively treat disorders of the spinal disc. These techniques reduce surgical damage to muscle and tissue, resulting in shorter hospital stays, almost no bleeding, minimal scarring, and above all, a speedy recovery.

The brightest minds in the diagnosis and management of spine disorders and back pain work together at Wooridul so that every patient gets personalised treatment and optimal results.

The University Hospital Sharjah (UHS) has signed an association agreement with South Korea’s HimChan Hospital to provide advanced spine and joint medical services at UHS. The

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“There are many similarities between UAE people and Koreans in terms of joint diseases as people of the two countries share similar life patterns. However, Korean doctors have better experience in joint diseases, both surgically and non-surgically.”

“The Medical Office of the Ministry of Presidential Affairs in Abu Dhabi has chosen Seoul National University Hospital among other international healthcare institutes to manage SKSH. The hospital has taken clear steps to become one of the most important hospitals in the region.”

Dr Seung Jun Park, Consultant Orthopedic, HimChan UHS Spine and Joint Centre, University Hospital Sharjah

Dr Mustafa Al Hashimi, Chief Government and International Relations Officer, Shaikh Khalifa Specialty Hospital, RAK

two hospitals teamed up to bring the expertise of HimChan in minimally invasive surgeries for spine and joint and related rehabilitation therapy to UAE. The new surgical procedures include a reduced hospital stay, higher success rates than the traditional replacement surgeries, and higher patient comfort.

UHS, a leading health care facility in the UAE provides Himchan Hospital with a rare and unique opportunity to set foot in the UAE region. HimChan, one of the largest hospitals in Korea, specialising in spine and joint surgeries, and offering comprehensive medical services for joint-related examinations, check-ups and surgeries. It offers a specialised medical system for joint-related diseases ranging from knees, lumbar, ankle and foot, shoulders, hip joint and deformity correction. Both UHS and HimChan feel that the association agreement between them is going to benefit patients immensely in terms of excellent medical services related to joints and problems arising from deformities, diseases and injuries to joints.

The well-known Dubai-based Korehab Clinic specialises in neuro-rehabilitation and pain management. Korehab provides a comprehensive range of rehabilitation programmes, developed for restoring the physiological function in patients suffering from neurological and musculoskeletal disorders.

Korehab Clinic is an outpatient based medical facility and provides rehabilitation treatment programs for people who want to get back the use of their limbs and pain relief. There are two outpatient clinic rooms, ten individual therapy rooms, gymnasium,

state-of-the-art equipment including EMG machine, musculoskeletal ultra-sonography, and RSWT. Korehab clinic is situated in Dubai Healthcare City and has 2 Korean doctors and more than 10 Korean physiotherapists, whose skills help in all kinds of pain management through the use of sono-guided techniques, electromyography, intra-articular injections and peripheral nerve blocks. The medical system offers treatment for various neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy, stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson disease and etc.

As the first Korean Style Acupuncture Clinic in the Middle East, Korean Acupuncture and Herb Clinic in Dubai Healthcare City is highly sought after by patients seeking Korean traditional medicine such as acupuncture, cupping etc. The Clinic provides evidencebased cost-effective modernised acupuncture treatment using hygienic apparatus such as disposable needles, gloves and cupping cups.

AHNKANG Hospital, which specialises in skeleto-muscular related chronic pain, is the first Korean hospital in Kuwait. The hospital practices non-surgical and steroid-free treatment to cure acute and chronic pain.

Leaders Skin Clinic in Qatar is yet another successful Korean enterprise where several beauty treatments including wrinkle elimination, sculpting of face and jaw line, non-invasive cool sculpting for removal of extra flesh from parts of the body, laser hair removal and advanced micro needling innovations are carried out for natural collagen production.

What can you tell us about KHIDI supporting joint ventures between Middle Eastern and Korean Healthcare providers?

All of us at KHIDI are delighted that we have been able to facilitate collaborations and joint ventures between healthcare providers in the GCC and Korea. In fact we are very proud that we were part of the process of bringing about the signing of the Special Strategic Partnership between Korea and the UAE in March 2018 after the visit of the Korean President Moon Jae-in to the UAE. We are in close contact with important officials at the Ministry of Health and Prevention, the Department of Health in Abu Dhabi, and Dubai Health Authority. All of them have expressed how highly they value Korean medical systems.

In 2011 we had signed an agreement with the Department of Health in Abu Dhabi about patient referrals. At that time not many Emiratis knew about Korean medicine or Korean Healthcare systems. After the agreement was signed, some Emirati patients visited Korea and came back satisfied with the experience including the clinical outcome as well as the non-medical services they had enjoyed in Korea. This has since led to many more patients going to Korea from Abu Dhabi.

Till date the flow of patients from Abu Dhabi continues unabated as many people combine medical treatment and leisure trips to Korea.

We have signed an MOU with the Dubai Health Authority for patient referrals last year and for medical education this year, giving us another paradigm to promote Korean Healthcare systems in the UAE. How much does MEDICAL KOREA and BIO KOREA help KHIDI in its work of promoting the Korean Health industry?

Medical Korea takes care of global healthcare and medical tourism to Korea by conducting conferences, seminars, and Korean hospital tours. In global healthcare there are inbound and outbound patients and the business generated is the main mandate of Medical Korea. Bio Korea, on the other hand, is mainly dealing with medical devices and pharmaceuticals from Korea and promoting them to countries around the globe. KHIDI supports both the entities holding big events such as conferences and exhibitions in association with the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare.

How do you read the future of KHIDI in this part of the world?

Have you planned to venture into more countries in the region?

KHIDI and the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare have, till now, focussed mainly on government entities sponsored patients.

But we are seeing many private patients approaching us to go to Korea for treatment of acute diseases as well as aesthetic surgeries. KHIDI Abu Dhabi wants to facilitate this and find private players in this country and the GCC who can work with us to help these patients. We will work as a platform to facilitate this.

Korea is well known for aesthetic surgery. The Korean Wave which consists of Korean drama and Korean pop music is popular in the GCC countries and has exploded interest in everything Korea including Korean beauty. This has also spurred interest in aesthetic surgery.

Patients here want to know which type of treatment provided by which hospital is ideal for them and KHIDI is facilitating that knowledge and their visits to Korea for the right kind of treatment. I believe that being a government organization KHIDI gives the best and most valuable advice to patients, which help them in their decision making.

We are also making sure we remain the important gate through which people and companies approach Korea for anything healthcare related. We want to provide our services to the entire Middle East and Africa in the days to come. Lastly, I want to highlight that KHIDI Abu Dhabi is here in UAE for any support related to Korean Healthcare including but not limited to medical tourism, collaboration with Korean medical facilities, and inquiries regarding Korean medical devices and pharmaceuticals.

Please feel free to contact us at khidiabudhabi@gmail.com.

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EXCELLENCE IN KOREAN HEALTHCARE

MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2018

MEDICAL KOREA PROMOTING THE EXCELLENCE OF KOREAN MEDICAL SERVICES Patients visiting Korea can rest assured of benefiting from the treatment and care provided by some of the world’s foremost medical specialists at hospitals that have gained global recognition

BY LATHA KRISHNAN orea is emerging as a new leader on the global healthcare market through quality services, advanced medical technologies, relatively affordable medical costs, fast and efficient diagnostics and therapeutic services, cutting-edge hardware and IT-based infrastructure. Medical Korea stands for Smart Care and has been set up by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), which works through conferences, exhibitions and other promotional activities to promote Korean healthcare facilities including traditional medicine for medical tourists.

Korea’s highly specialised doctors provide top-tier treatment for cancer, cardiovascular diseases, spinal disc injuries, organ transplantation, dentistry, cosmetic surgery, dermatology and more.

Korea is the leading country for clinical trial cases and ranks as Asia’s best in international medical journal publications.

Data provided by the US government agency National Institutes of Health (NIH) reveals that while Korea ranked sixth globally, Seoul was named the city with the most clinical trials last year.

Most Korean hospitals are non-profit organisations, putting patient safety and satisfaction ahead of profits.

The Korean government has strict regulation over hospitals to ensure optimum medical ser-

[FIVE-YEAR CANCER SURVIVAL RATES, INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON]

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CANCER TYPE

KOREA (‘10-’14)

USA (‘06-’08)

CANADA (‘06-’08)

JAPAN (‘06-’08)

All cancer

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69

63

62.1

Thyroid

100.2

98.3

98

93.7

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74.4

31.1

25

71.1

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25.1

18.7

17

31.9

Liver

32.8

18.1

19

32.6

Breast

92.0

90.8

87

91.1

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93.3

99.3

95

97.5

Pancreatic

10.1

8.5

8

7.7

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79.7

68.8

73

73.4

Source 1) National Cancer Information Center, December 2016 2) Howlader N, et al. SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2013, National Cancer Institute, Betseda, MD, http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2013/, based on November 2015 SEER data submission, posted to the SEER website, April 2016 3) Canadian Cancer Society, Staistics Canada and Provincial/Territorial Cancer Registry, Canadian Cancer Statistics 2016 4) Center for Cancer Control and Indormation Services, National Cancer Center, Monitoring of Cancer Incidence in Japan - Survival 2006-2008 report 2016 Picture courtesy: KHIDI

vices. Patients opting for treatment in Korea can rest assured of receiving optimum medical care.

ORGAN TRANSPLANTS Korea is the top player in the world in the field of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). According to the International Registry in Organ Dona-

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KHIDIAbu AbuDhabi, Dhabi,PO POBox Box130073, 130073,Abu AbuDhabi, Dhabi,UAE, UAE,TEL TEL++971971-2-643-4422 KHIDI 2- 643- 4422 (ext.238) (ext.238) kangjh0429@khidi.or.kr / bsong1025@khidi.or.kr khidiabudhabi@gmail.com

tion and Liver Transplantation, in 2014, 18 patients out of a million citizens in Korea received LDLT, the largest number in the world.

The figure is over three times bigger than that of Japan and Hong Kong, where liver transplantation is more generally carried out than in any other Asian country. One Korean transplantation centre has performed 1,750 adult LDLTs with 0 per cent mortality rate of donors since 2002, which is more adult LDLTs than any other single centre in the world.

The success rate of liver transplants is at 92 per cent, which is considerably high compared to the US rate of 85 per cent. According to Korean Network for Organ Sharing, Korea has the highest 5-year survival rate of transplant patients at 87.07 per cent, higher compared to the rates in advanced countries.

The number of transplants is 3,879 in total for 2014, comprising 1,783 counts of surgery for kidney transplant, 1,259 counts for liver transplant and 55 counts for pancreas transplant.

The facilities are sanitary and follow-up treatments are convenient compared to leading nations such as China and India. In fact as per Medical Korea figures, Korea has the highest number of living donor transplantation operations per million people in the Asia Pacific region.

One of the bone marrow transplantation (BMT) centres in Korea has been recognised as the world’s best BMT centre for treating leukaemia with all efforts put in to be the best in care, treatment and transplantation.

CANCER TREATMENT The 5-year survival rate of cancer patients in Korea is the highest compared to other advanced countries such as the US, Canada and Japan. Medical treatment includes services such as fast cure and surgery, as well as customised health programmes for patients.

Korean medical institutions possess medical techniques equivalent to those of other advanced countries in the fields of stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and uterus cancer.

The five-year survival rate for thyroid cancer in Korea is 100 per cent, and 93.3 per cent for prostate cancer. Besides, Korean medical personnel have the most clinical trial experience in breast

cancer, bronchial cancer and lung cancer among medically advanced nations.

CARDIAC AND CORONARY TREATMENT AND CARE The death rate for all cardiac related surgery is only 0.6 per cent with inherent heart disease at 1.6 per cent, acquired valve disease at 3.1 per cent, coronary artery disease at 0.2 per cent, and arrhythmia at 0 per cent. The death rate for coronary artery diseases in Korea is the second lowest, closely following Japan among the OECD countries.

SPINAL DISEASES Spinal diseases are common, with 80 per cent of the world’s population being diagnosed at least once in their lives.

Spine surgery in Korea costs less and has shown a lower recurrence compared to other advanced countries. Korea has the most studies on minimally invasive spinal surgery and scoliosis, among degenerative spinal diseases in the world.

INFERTILITY Korean hospitals possess unrivalled techniques in infertility treatment.

Medical skills regarding infertility, medication for men, drug treatment for sexual dysfunction and hysterectomy are close or on par with advanced countries.

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET) are essential in the treatment of infertility globally. In Korea, the first IVF baby was reported in 1985 by Professor Chang Yoon Seok at Seoul National University Hospital.

Since then Korea has been a leader along with the US, Europe and Japan in different aspects of ART. At present, over 150 clinics nationwide are registered IVF centres in Korea, which has also emerged as a leader in in-vitro maturation (IVM) technology and its success. In fact, in 1989, for the first time in the world, CHA fertility centre in Korea succeeded in pregnancy and delivery after invitro maturation and fertilisation of human follicular oocytes collected from non-stimulated cycles.

Korea has continued to work on improving culture conditions for oocyte IVM with a goal of improving IVF outcomes. Consequently, IVM has become a promising op-

tion in the field of ART. Korea has also been a pioneer in reproductive medicine using cryopreservation techniques such as vitrification (rapid freezing) for over 20 years.

OTHER MEDICAL TREATMENTS Korea is known for its export of world-class implant materials. In 2015, Korea was recognised as the third-largest market for plastic surgery in the world, next only to the US and Brazil.

Customised counselling centres, multilingual coordinators, state-ofthe-art equipment and one-stop service from arrival to departure have ensured that there is a continuous increase of foreign patients inspired by the “Korean Wave� phenomenon and seeking aesthetic surgery in Korea.

Ophthalmology clinics in Korea do their utmost to increase the success rate using state-of-the art equipment and techniques.

Eye correction surgery in Korea is possible on the same day as the examination through systematic and precise examinations.

COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL CHECK UP Medical examination in Korea includes MRI, Cl, colonoscopy and endoscopy, fields that are usually not covered in other countries. This enables the patient to receive a thorough and comprehensive check-up of his/her health condition.

Colonoscopy and endoscopy can be done simultaneously through the endoscope.

Any discovered polyps can be

NUMBER OF MIDDLE EAST PATIENTS

BY COUNTRIES (2017) Country Person UAE 3,384 KSA 2,002 Egypt 334 Qatar 275 Kuwait 221 Iran 205 Morocco 139 Iraq 139 Syria 97 Oman 92 Libya 90 Etc. 260

removed during procedure.

The results of the check-up are revealed the same day with follow-up treatments directly accessible after screening. Korean hospitals have considerable expertise on such medical examinations as the Korean government ensures as part of policy that every Korean citizen should receive an annual medical check-up through their national health insurance system.

TRADITIONAL KOREAN MEDICINE Korean Medicine is a branch of medicine practiced in Korea and is today part of a national health system.

The main difference between Korean Medicine and modern medicine is that the former sees the body as an entire organism, not as the sum of separate body parts.

Therefore, Korean therapy focuses on maintaining constancy in the patient’s body. In recent times, Korean Medicine hospitals are not only practicing acupuncture, herbal medicine and other non-medication physical therapies, but also focusing on a Korean-western medicine collaboration system in order to provide more effective treatments.

Thus, by integrating traditional and modern approaches, Korean Medicine constitutes an exemplary case of a national health system that encompasses complementary and alternative approaches.

Traditional medicine in Korea has its own set of treatments, hospitals and prescriptions and that are comparable with western medicine.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recognised hanbang, or traditional Korean medicine, as valid medicine. Traditional Korean medicine involves identifying the physical constitution of each patient, and finding the right (customized) care and prescription accordingly.

It also uses more natural treatments such as herbal medicines, acupuncture, and moxibustion over artificial drug regimens of antibiotics and painkillers. Practitioners of traditional medicine are as highly qualified as western medicine practioners.

Korean Medicine doctors, along with doctors and dentists, are important medical practitioners in Korea and share as many of the responsibilities and rights as medical practitioners to provide primary health care.

A person wishing to be a Korean Medicine doctor has to receive education in theory and clinical practice based on traditional Korean Medicine, as well as education related to biomedicine at a university (college) or graduate school, and pass the national licensing examination.

The Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare implemented a Korean Medicine specialist system enabling medical practitioners to acquire advanced education and excellent skills in their specialties.

It allows Korean Medicine doctors to accumulate more intensive clinical experience in areas requiring a high level of medical care such as acupuncture, a field of medicine that has gained in popularity in the Middle East.

The trend has given impetus to Korean acupuncture clinics to establish their outlets in the GCC and spawned the UAE International Conference of Acupuncture, hosted by Lotus Holistic Institute in collaboration with KHIDI and the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare.

EXCELLENCE IN KOREAN HEALTHCARE

MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2018

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Promoting the value of Korean healthcare industry policy The country’s healthcare sector seeks a sustainable long-term strategy built on the foundation of rapid technology convergence s a pioneer in the health industry, Korea has understood that it is essential to predict both domestic and foreign environmental changes in order to formulate alternative plans and establish policies accordingly. In particular, it is very important to ensure that corresponding policies are prepared beforehand so as to push forward the value of the New Future Industry, the Healthy Aging Industry, and the Health Industry.

The development of technology convergence in Healthcare is opening up numerous new markets. Korea is constantly seeking new agendas, such as big data in healthcare, in order to implement with government policies and plan long-term sustainable strategies that include suggesting the new agenda for the Health Industry, promoting an active use of Healthcare Big data, and pioneering new professions in the Health Industry.

With these policies the health industry of the future will transform into a sustainable structure that allows the population’s voluntary healthcare and disease prevention for the betterment of society. Having statistical information on the Health Industry will help Korea to establish strategies and policies for the industry. The Korean Health InKHIDI PLAYS dustry Development Institute A LEADING ROLE (KHIDI) will research, anaIN PROMOTING THE lyze, and produce reliable statistical data, includINDUSTRY BY ESTABLISHING ing national statistics in THE FOUNDATION FOR DIGITAL order to strengthen the HEALTHCARE, WHICH IS THE reliability of forecasting a particular aspect of the COMBINATION OF BOTH industry.

IT AND MEDICAL Enhancing prospects for KNOWLEDGE. the New Healthy Aging Industry KHIDI is building foundations and systems for supporting plans while taking a lead in the new growth industry with full support to the development of policies and services related to population aging, nutrition, and beauty products. Devising corresponding policies on the aging society in advance, establishing the infrastructure for the antiaging industry and supporting systems, developing policies on

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Picture courtesy: KHIDI

Medical Korea 2019 to be hosted in March Global trends in medical tech in focus at the 10th edition of the global healthcare and medical tourism conference

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Pictures: Shutterstock

national nutrition and promoting nutrition management service industry and providing widened support for the promotion and overseas expansion of the cosmetic industry are some of the duties KHIDI has taken upon itself to help policy making.

KHIDI also offers management support to improve the competitiveness and capabilities of individual medical institutions and have aided in developing policies establishing sustainable supply systems for the Healthcare service in order to effectively manage medical institutions. Furthermore KHIDI plays a leading role in promoting the industry by establishing the foundation for digital healthcare, which is the combination of both IT and medical knowledge.

It provides full support to develop

policies and plans for the core management systems of digital healthcare where individuals are able to administer their own health and medical-treatment information on mobile healthcare apps.

“We are capable of becoming the pioneer for new fields in the health industry. The Internet of Things can create new markets in the industry and telemedicine can reduce costs while improving the quality of medical services.

The health industry can expand through combining new ideas and new technologies. Enhancement of existing technologies through new knowledge will construct a better reality for everyone to share. KHIDI will continuously revolutionize the health industry to make a healthier world for all,” affirms Mr David Sung Eun Hwang, Director General of KHIDI in Abu Dhabi.

Supporting industry growth the Korean way Korea is one of the leading providers of modern therapies such as proton therapy and tomotherapy and is a recognised international hub for robotic surgery orea is emerging as a new leader on the global healthcare market through quality services, advanced medical technologies, relatively affordable medical costs, fast and efficient diagnostics and therapeutic services, cutting-edge hardware and IT-based infrastructure. Organisations such as Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) are facilitating the export of medical systems from Korea increasing employment prospects and advancing the value and enhancing international competitiveness in the health and medical industry. Such healthcare products include medical devices, pharmaceutical products and cosmetics and digital healthcare components.

Korea is pioneering new markets such as U-Health based on

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outstanding IT convergence technology and infrastructure. Paperless hospitals have become the standard with PACS and EMR (EHR) and its world-class IT operating system in the Korean lan-

he Ministry of Health and Welfare in Korea and Korean Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) are organising Medical Korea 2019, the 10th Global Healthcare and Medical Tourism Conference, which will be held from March 14 to 16 at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas, and at COEX Hall D to 17. The purpose of the annual Medical Conference is to boost information exchange in the global medical market and expand local and overseas networks.

Medical Korea 2019 will serve as a venue where global trends in professional medical technologies will be showcased through forums hosted by medical societies, along with speeches and discussions by experts from various global healthcare fields. In addition to five sessions on significant aspects of the healthcare market there will be seminars and symposiums by academic associations and physicians’ societies. Networking opportunities as well as familiarisation programmes are also in the offing.

guage makes it on par with the most advanced in the world.

Some of the most modern therapies now developed and practised in Korea include state-of-the-art radio-therapeutic devices such

as Proton therapy, Cyberknife, Gammaknife and Tomotherapy for treating different kinds of cancers. Korea has also emerged as an international hub robotic surgery. Korea is a leading provider of robotic surgery that is efficient and affordable. Robot-assisted surgeries offer better visualisation, dexterity, precision and stability to surgeons, enabling them to carry out more intricate, minimally invasive surgical procedures.

Korea’s Revo-i surgical robot, commissioned in August 2017 is the second surgical robot to be approved by any health regulator in the world for use in minimally invasive endoscopic surgery, following the US-based Intuitive Surgical’s “da Vinci” surgical robot, which was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2000.

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EXCELLENCE IN KOREAN HEALTHCARE

MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2018

Promoting awareness on traditional Korean healing Korean doctors and professors attending the 3rd UAE International Conference of Acupuncture in Abu Dhabi last week talked about developments and sectoral trends The techniques of herbal medicine, acupuncture and cupping remove blockages of “qi”.

Event held in collaboration with the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korean Health Industry Development Institute

Pictures: Shutterstock

BY LATHA KRISHNAN large number of healthcare professionals, policymakers, executives and aspiring acupuncture practitioners attended the 3rd UAE International Conference of Acupuncture, which was held at Rotana Beach Hotel, Abu Dhabi last week.

The conference, organised by the Lotus Holistic Institute in collaboration with the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Industry Development Institute aimed to promote awareness about this traditional healing method within the country and beyond.

Prof. Kyu-Seok Kim, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology at Kyung Hee University Medical Center in Seoul, Korea spoke largely on the benefits of Korean medicine over Western medicine. He said, “Within our community patients with chronic illnesses disease want to seek Korean medicine such as herbal medicine, acupuncture and cupping because the western medicine has limitations to treat the symptoms, especially in chronic disease.

Some interventions in Western medicine have side effects when prescribed for a long time. A patient with chronic and recurrent disease therefore prefers Korean medicine.”

In his practice Prof. Kim does integrate Western and Korean medicine to treat certain ailments like musculoskeletal diseases. “With lower back pain and spinal disorders the success

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has been good with cupping and acupuncture but we integrate Western system of analysis to best assess the patient using Xrays and MRI scans as per the subjective symptoms. We then use analgesics to gradually reduce the pain and inflammation coupled with Korean treatment to keep the impact steady and progressive.”

LONG-TERM COLLABORATION Korean medicine enjoys good success rates with skin disease, respiratory disease and even cancer. The techniques of herbal medicine, acupuncture and cupping remove blockages of “qi”.

In traditional Chinese culture, qi or ch’i is believed to be a vital force forming part of any living entity. “Our doctors work on the meridians and clear any blockages within the system to ensure a flow of health and well-being,” says Prof. Kim. “With Western medicine the allopathic treatments lead to several side effects which get amplified when used for a prolonged time. I therefore hope for Korean system of medicine to be further promoted and welcomed here in the region so that people can have cleaner and better care in not just ailments like skin care, joint aches, etc but also cure from chronic illness like cancer, hypertension, etc. Conferences such as these are a start towards a long term collaboration of health industries between both regions. It helps create awareness about how Korean medicines and their benefit — we are patient oriented cure.”

“Our doctors work on the meridians and clear any blockages within the system to ensure a flow of health and well-being.”

Prof. Kyu-Seok Kim Center of Dermatology of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital, Korea

“We use the oriental meridian system and acupuncture points to best heal the ailment and cure the patient.”

Dr Byung-soo Ahn President of the Korean Pharmacopuncture Institute South Korea

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A continuing success story KHIDI has supported the need for R&D within the field as well as in the development of new drugs and medical equipment

Dr Byung-soo Ahn, President of Korean Pharmacopuncture Institute (KPI) in Seoul, emphasised on this. Speaking from a lineage of medical service that started 30 years ago, KPI has been serving the community with herbal acupuncture medicines. Dr Ahn pointed out, “In Korea 75 per cent of the patients suffer from diseases that are pain-related — this could be spinal problems, arthritis or other joint pains, etc. Other main ailments are cardiac, dermatological, obesity and hypertension.

“At KPI, we produce pharmacopuncture which is acupuncture along with herbal medicine so it is almost like an injection which can be used either as a one-time insert or through IV depending on the patient’s needs. We use the oriental meridian system and acupuncture points to best heal the ailment and cure the patient.

“In the Middle East more awareness has to be created about Korean medical practices as our healthcare is holistic and we treat the disease from the root. Healthcare tourism is growing in Korea, however by growing our presence in the region here we can bring the benefits to the people and serve them better. Our doctors are eager to visit and practice here, and an alliance through such conferences will open pathways for collaboration between health industries and sectors. In Korea pharmacopuncture is both popular and successful. I feel positive about the possibilities ahead,” he concluded.

he Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), established by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare in 1999, is driven by excellence and has, to date, made every endeavour to promote the Korean health industry and enhance healthcare services. In 2000, the Ministry designated it as a Research and Development (R&D) Management Institute. In 2001 the same ministry designated KHIDI as a national health technology valuation and transfer institution.

In 2006, KHIDI hosted the 1st BIO KOREA and was designated as Senior Products Industrial Centre in 2008. Later that year the Korea National Statistical Office designated KHIDI as a national statistics writing institution.

KHIDI hosted the first MEDICAL KOREA exhibition in 2010 and signed a Letter of Understanding in 2010 with the National Institute of Health (NIH) to strengthen collaboration so

3rd UAE International Conference of Acupuncture held in Abu Dhabi

The 3rd UAE International Conference of Acupuncture took place on December 8 and 9 at the Al Thuraya Hall of the Rotana Beach Hotel in Abu Dhabi. Organised by Lotus Holistic Institute in collaboration with the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korean Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), the Conference aimed to provide information about the latest developments in research and practice in acupuncture. Attendees availed the opportunity to listen to a plethora of experienced professionals from all over the world.

The Conference improved and promoted awareness about acupuncture for the benefit of the public both inside the UAE and beyond, and demonstrated the efficiency and effectiveness of acupuncture as a medical therapy.

Acupuncture is an ancient medical practice that has existed for over a millennium and is still one of the most popular methods of treatment in the world. This is done by inserting needles and applying electrical stimulation or heat at very precise acupuncture points.

Historically, acupuncture has influenced both Oriental and Occidental medicine and its practice. In modern times, acupuncture has become a huge source of influence in world medicine, and is expected to continue to be influential, as it promotes natural healing and each patient is custom treated. Consequently, acupuncture is at the forefront of research aimed at integrating the practice harmoniously with other existing medical practices.

The 3rd UAE International Acupuncture Conference presented the latest scientific research on acupuncture.

Lotus Holistic Medical Institute, which has always aimed to provide high quality and up to date knowledge about Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), was the main facilitator and in collaboration with KHIDI and the Ministry, hopes for more such conferences in this region in the future too.

as to develop relevant studies in the health and medical sector. In early 2016 KHIDI Opened the Medical Korea Information Centre to disseminate information about Korean medical services and its excellence and to attract foreign patients.

KHIDI, today, has global branches in the US, China, Chile, UAE and Kazakhstan, and provides overseas market authorisation consultations, supports export contracts and cooperative projects with foreign governments in order to drive expansion of Korea health industries with global competitiveness in the global market.

ACHIEVEMENTS In its 18-year lifetime, KHIDI has become a potent force in driving excellence in Korean healthcare. Among its economic achievements is the development of 27 new drugs including 16 synthetic innovative drugs, four herbal medicines, seven biopharmaceuticals, as well as the

modification of drugs such as Kanarb Tab (Boryung Pharm Co., Ltd), an anti-hypertension drug, Supect ((IL-YANG Pharm Co., Ltd), the anti-super leukaemia medicine, developed for the first time in Asia, Neuronata-R (Corestem Co., LTD), anti- Lou Gehrig’s disease medicine, developed globally for the first time from stem cells.

It also supported the R&D of first-in-theworld Quadrivalent cell culture flu vaccine.

In addition, KHIDI helped develop 150 medical devices and transfer 55 cases of pharmaceutical technology to overseas markets in the US, Europe, India and the Middle East.

While the domestic patented theses reached 444 in 2015, there were 2480 international publications. During the period between 1999 and 2015 KHIDI facilitated more than 675 multiple country and domestic clinical trials and still continues to play the role of an excellent healthcare innovator and facilitator.