Creating Results through Enhanced Medical Cooperation

between Korea and the UAE

- Korea Signed a Cooperative Arrangement with the Sharjah Health Authority;

 The 1^st Korean-type Health Promotion Center opened in Abu Dhabi;

 A Cooperative Agreement was signed to establish the 2^nd Korean-type Health Center in Dubai; and Korea will set up the 1^st Pre-Post Care Center in the UMAE -

 

Continuous efforts to strengthen the medical cooperation between Korea and the UAE is producing results, including the opening of the first Korean-type health promotion center in the Middle East.

The Minister Health and Welfare Moon Hyung-pyo who had been accompanying President Park on her state visit to the UAE, attended the opening ceremony of the ‘Marina Health Promotion Center’ on March 6th after participating in the ‘Meeting with Korean Medical Personnel in the UAE’ presided over by President Park.

- The ‘Marina Health Promotion Center’ opening in Abu Dhabi carries significance as it is the first Korean-type health center in the Middle East set up by VPS Health Group and whose operation is commissioned to ST. Mary’s Hospital for five years.

 

<General Information of Marina Health Promotion Center > ○ (Location & Scale) 800 pyeong in size located in Marina Mall in downtown Abu Dhabi ○ (Foundation & Operation) Established by VPS Healthcare Group and Operated by St. Mary’s Hospital under the Consignment Agreement (5 years) ○ (Staff) 22 Korean staff (16 medical staff), and some 50 local staff

 

Not only Director Seung Ki-bae of St. Mary’s Hospital and Chairman Shamsheer of VPS Healthcare Group but also Chairman Mugheer and Director General Maha of the Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) attended the opening ceremony, indicating the strong interest of the UAE health authority.

-           Marina Health Promotion Center adopts the Korean-type health check-up model which regularly runs health screening programs focusing on major illnesses in each stage of life cycle. It operates four medical clinics including internal medicine and has separate check-up rooms for male and female patients.

St. Mary’s Hospital is expected to be paid 10 percent of the revenue generated from the operation as well as a part of the net profit earned for the next five years as incentive^* and it is expected to bring local patients with serious conditions to Korea for treatment.

* St. Mary’s Hospital is expected to receive over 40 billion won in total for the next five years, out of which 10 billion won will be the operation commission and the remaining 30 billion won wages for Korean staff.

-           After the ceremony, the Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital and the VPS Healthcare Group signed a cooperative agreement, in the presence of the Minister of the Health and Welfare Moon Hyung-pyo and Chairman Mugheer of HAAD to set up 2^nd Korean-type health promotion center in Dubai, brightening the prospect of exporting Korean medical service to the Middle East. *

With the opening of the 2^nd Korean-type health promotion center, St. Mary’s Hospital is expected to be paid additional 40 billion won for the next five years as operating income and wage.

On Thursday March 5th, the Sharjah Health Authority and the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea signed a cooperative arrangement outlining the cooperation for insurance training programs and the operation of a pediatric oncology center.

-           The Ministry of Health and Welfare signed an MOU on healthcare cooperation with the Sharjah Health Authority in February 2014, based on which the two parties identified areas of mutual interest. The two parties agreed to cooperate on health insurance-related training programs and operation of pediatric oncology centers.

-           The agreement will offer the staff of Sharjah Health Authority with an opportunity to learn the excellent health insurance system of Korea ^*

* In the area of health insurance, the Sharjah Health Authority requested Korea to plan paid training programs for its staff

-           In addition, the agreement paved the way for Korea to offer consulting service (technology transfer) for building a pediatric oncology center (30 beds) in Sharjah University Hospital, promote medical personal exchanges through training and visiting scholar programs, and transfer medical expertise of Korea in the areas such as consignment operation.

The UAE has sent the largest number of patients to Korea at government expense and in 2014 alone 806 patients were sent to Korea for treatment. (Expected Revenues: 36 billion won)

* UAE patients sent to Korea at government expense: (2011) 1 → (2012) 89 → (2013) 351 → (2014) 806

* Generated Revenue (won): (2011) 5.6 million → (2012) 3.6 billion → (2013) 21 billion → (2014) 35 billion

* UAE patients sent to Korea: (2011) 158 → (2012) 342 → (2013) 1,151 (2014) under compilation

-           For the purpose of effectively serving the increasing number of UAE patients coming to Korea at government expense, Korea will set up a Pre-Post Care Centers (PPCC) in Abu Dhabi first and then in other regions in partnership with the UAE so as to offer a one-stop service to patients, ranging from counseling, preliminary check-up, treatment to follow-up treatment.

<PPCC Diagram>

UAE: UAE Military, HAAD, SEHA, Others

Korea: Medical Institution, Medical Institution, Medical Institution, Medical Institution.

1. Preliminary Check-up 2.Patient Transfer to Korea 3. Patient Treatment 4. Patient Returning Home

UAE (function) Managing the information of transferring patient, offering pre and post check-up, appointment scheduling, and processing medical payment etc.

Korea (function) offering treatment support, managing the information of transferred patients and their guardians, addressing complaints, and offering concierge service etc. 

 

-           Accordingly, the 1^st PPCC signboard hanging ceremony was held at Mafraq Hospital (750 beds) under the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi on Friday March 6^th. The PPCC will open for full operation in the first half of 2015 after hiring doctors stationed in the UAE (at HAAD’s expense) and developing appropriate programs.

* PPCC programs which currently are being developed will be applied to UAE system and run in earnest (in the first half of 2015)

 

-           For the smooth operation of government paid UAE patient transfers between Abu Dhabi and Korea, two Korean staff equipped with relevant expertise have been stationed in the International Patient Center of the HAAD.

* This initiative was agreed with the HAAD in September 2014, and was carried out accordingly. As a part of staff exchange program, Korea will hire 2 HAAD staff who will be stationed in Korea..

-           The establishment and operation of PPCC and the joint operation of IPC will improve the management of UAE patients transferred to Korea at government expense, ultimately increasing the preference for Korean medical service.

Minister of Health and Welfare Moon Hyung-pyo said, “The UAE is the first Middle East country to form a comprehensive strategic partnership with Korea in 2009 when Korea won its first nuclear power plant contract and at the same time it is the No. 1 Middle East country in the area of medical cooperation with Korea*

< Healthcare Cooperation between Korea and the UAE >

 

○ MOU: Signed with UAE Health Ministry · HAAD · Health Authority of Dubai in March 2011 and with Sharjah Health Authority in Feb. 2014 ○ Patient Transfer Arrangement: HAAD (since 2011), integrated group of the UAE (since 2013) have been sending patients to 10 and 12 medical institutions respectively.

 

-           Minister Moon also stated “Just as the UAE served as the gateway for Korea to make inroads into the Middle East countries in the past, we hope that the progress made during President Park’s visit to the UAE would spread to other nations in the Middle East and create more success stories.”