A conference intended to spur patient referrals from abroad and international exchanges of medical technology will be held at the COEX Grand Ballroom in Seoul from Tuesday through Thursday.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Monday that it would host the Medical Korea 2012 Third Global Healthcare & Medical Tourism Conference to better meet the increasing demand for global exchange and referrals of knowledge and patients.
According to ministry officials, seven seminar sessions will take place to discuss individual countries’ medical infrastructure, technologies and treatment strategies, with 700 experts and administrators from 36 countries attending. Korea will present information and cancer treatment technologies.
In a bid to offer business opportunities, about 370 business meetings have been also prearranged.
A delegation from Abu Dhabi, which signed a deal last year to send its seriously ill patients to Korean medical centers, will visit domestic hospitals and clinics, while 52 delegates from 16 other countries will also be given opportunities to learn about Korean medical institutions.
“Since the Korean government announced a plan in 2009 to host foreign patients, the market has expanded 30 percent each year. This year we expect 150,000 foreign patients to visit the country for medical treatment,” said Chung Ho-won, a ministry official said.
“The conference will help boost market expansion and raise the Korean medical service to a new level.”
