Heaven forbid you should have a medical emergency or accident while in Korea. If the only thing you have handy for help is some old Incheon airport guidebook on hospitals, you could be in trouble. Don't rely on online lists with antiquidated contact information when you need medical help, either.
Do you know who to call when you need help...QUICK?
Look, maintaining your health is always a priority, and when living abroad it can be a challenge to find the medical care you are looking for. Sure, you can find English Speaking Doctors & Dentists in the HiExpat.com Business Directory, but its also important to know in advance where to turn when you need medical information.
Our friends at the Hannam-Itaewon Global Village Center have these tips for you!
In Korea, there are two systems run by the Seoul Metropolitan Government to help foreigners find medical help and information.
The first is one is the Medical Referral Service (MRS). There are two numbers you can call, and you can make inquiries by email, to get information on medical services for foreigners in different areas around the city. The staff is made up of English-speaking foreigner medical professionals so they are a good source of information when it comes to finding foreigner-friendly doctors, dentists, and therapists. The MRS only provides service in
English. Nice-uh!
The MRS staff is available to take calls 24 hours a day but try to limit calls from 8pm and 8am to emergencies only. The contact information for the MRS is as follows:
Tel: 010-4769-8212 or 010-8750-8212
Email: medicalreferral@seoul.go.kr
Call With Symptoms & Get Connected Directly to the Right Doctor!
The second option is the 1339 Emergency Medical Information Center. This is a relatively new system and it offers some slightly different servicesand information from that of the MRS. 1339 has bilingual staff that speak Korean plus English, Japanese, or
Chinese. Because the staff speak foreign languages and Korean they can interpret for you if you need help communicating with Korean medical staff while you are at a clinic or hospital.
The staff at 1339 can also give medical advice over the phone and directly connect you with emergency services when necessary. So if you call and describe your symptoms, 1339 can let you know what kind of treatment you need, and, if it is deemed serious, immediately connect you with emergency services. Like the MRS, 1339 can also help you find clinics and hospitals in your area thatcan provide the kind of treatment you are looking for. To contact the 1339 Emergency Medical Information Center you just have to call 1339. No area code is
needed, even from a cell phone. It’s also a good idea to save these numbers in your cell
phone so that you can quickly call whenever you need to.
Alright, stay healthy and if you have any good Korean-doctor-visit stories, post em up!
Geon-gang-ha-sae-yo! (Stay Healthy!)
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