[Regional hospital that is as good as Seoul] Yusung Sun Hospital is "A hospital created from the perspective of patients and caregivers... We want to give everyone a good experience."

The current recipient of our ambitious project, "Regional hospitals that are as good as Seoul," is Seon Hospital. Seon Hospital was founded in 1966 as a 20-bed Seong-u orthopedic clinic. It has grown into a comprehensive hospital with 800 beds in four hospitals, including Daejeon Seon Hospital, Yusung Seon Hospital, Seon Dental Hospital, and the International Screening Center. Among them, Yusung Sun Hospital is the only comprehensive hospital in the region and is responsible for the health of the residents at the forefront. < Editor's note>

When you want proper treatment, you usually go to a large hospital with the scale of a general hospital. However, you get tired before receiving treatment due to long waiting times and complicated procedures. However, the expressions of patients and caregivers waiting for their turn at Yusung Seon Hospital were strangely comfortable.

"Oh my, you must have come a long way. Welcome."

At that time, Medical Director Seung-hoon Seon walked up quickly and greeted us warmly. Kim Young-im, the director of nursing, also accompanied us on this tour. She is a veteran guide who knows every corner of the hospital.

■Wherever you go, you can find directions easily. There are natural landscapes everywhere.

The outpatient clinic was the first place we visited with our reliable guides. The large numbers on the walls were particularly noticeable.

"We made large numbers like signposts so that patients and caregivers don't get tired from looking around," said Young-im Kim, the director of nursing, who started explaining first as a veteran guide.

"I thought it was strange that the people waiting looked so comfortable. What kind of magic did you do?"

I also asked a quick question when I thought it was time.

"First, look at the chairs. They are all a little different, right? We couldn't make them all fit everyone's personality, but we prioritized comfort and made the chairs slightly different in height. We also installed image walls in the middle, making it possible to see the natural landscape from the outside window, even in the examination room. The overall color and lighting of the hospital are made of log color and indirect lighting that is easy on the eyes. I only hoped everyone who visited our hospital would have a good experience. Since then, I started to see the hospital from the perspective of patients and caregivers like magic."

I nodded in agreement with the words of Seung-hoon Seon, the medical director, who was full of pride. It was because I was slowly being absorbed in the unique comfort of the hospital. The patient-centered hospital that Yusung Seon Hospital pursues begins from where the eyes of visitors turn and their bodies touch.

■From diagnosis to treatment...Establishment of a rapid emergency medical system

I heard this place was a must-see, so I hurried to the following location. It was the emergency medical center, which is the pride of the hospital. On January 1, 2023, Daejeon City designated Yusung Seon Hospital as the "Regional Emergency Medical Center," further accelerating the provision of emergency medical services.

Even in the metropolitan area, emergency medical care is a hot topic. In response, Medical Director Seon Seung-hoon said, "Our hospital is the only general hospital in the Yuseoung area, so we have built an emergency medical system with the sense of mission that 'we must not be absent.' We have ten emergency medicine specialists available 24/7, and we have placed emergency CT, MRI, and angiography rooms next to the emergency room for quick diagnosis."

Since COVID-19 is ongoing, respiratory patients enter through a separate entrance and take every precaution to prevent infection from overlapping with other patients.

When asked if the work is difficult, the specialist who helped guide the emergency room said, "I think we have to do our part as expected, as we are the only general hospital in the region that people trust." He said, "When I see patients treated well and can go home safely, the day's tension melts."

■A touch of the screen is all it takes to get the A to Z of hospitalization.

After that, I visited the inpatient ward, which was newly transformed through the 2019 extension building. It felt like stepping into a comfortable accommodation space. First, the rooms were arranged on one side of the corridor, unlike the conventional structure with rooms arranged on both sides. The middle area was decorated as an indoor garden. It was a natural look that you didn't even have to go for a walk outside.

I entered the inpatient room with some permission. The first thing I noticed was the tablet PC on the bed. It is a service called "Smart Bedside Station. "I was told I could check all the information related to medical treatment with just one tablet PC from the bed.

Young-im Kim, the head nurse, explained, "You can receive detailed instructions on everything from precautions during hospitalization to treatment schedules for tests and surgeries, to how to take medication. During the rounds with the attending physician, you can talk while looking at vital information such as blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, and various test results. You can also solve IV fluid, sheet change, and nurse call with a single touch, so you don't have to go to the station individually."

■Real-time communication with guardians during surgery increases satisfaction

The next space was even more impressive. It was a glass-roofed observation operating room that looked like something out of a drama. Yusung Seon Hospital designed this room in Korea for the first time, allowing guardians to watch surgery and communicate with medical staff in real-time.

Medical Director Seung-hoon Seon said, "In the past, it was difficult to confirm guardian consent for changes during surgery, and medical staff had to come out of the operating room to talk, which posed an infection risk. Other family members waiting outside can feel more at ease, so guardians are very satisfied."

Surgery was in progress on that day. Although photography was impossible due to personal information protection, even the reporter felt relieved to stay there for a while.

While leaving the ward tour, I met the autonomous driving robot Seonbot. It is said to be playing a vital role as a helper for nurses, handling tasks such as drug delivery and hospital guidance.

I asked Young-im Kim, the head nurse, "Does it not disturb the patient's flow?" She replied, "There is no risk of that because the inpatient rooms are arranged in one direction, making the aisles wider. In addition, it can block the spread of viruses caused by coughing or contaminated hands while transporting goods to protect patients more safely."

Even on this day, Seonbot was in the middle of a busy mission. I would have been disappointed if I hadn't met him.

■Yusung Seon Hospital Provides Comprehensive Health Care Services for Domestic and International Patients

I last visited the Yusung Seon Hospital International Health Checkup Center. Yusung Seon Hospital was the first hospital in the central region of Korea to open a health checkup center in 1986. Over the past 30 years, the hospital has accumulated expertise in health checkups and finally spread a new 5-story, 1-basement international health checkup center at this location.

The hospital has recently strengthened its disease prevention services in line with changes in the medical paradigm. In addition to essential checkups, the hospital has added specialized checkup services such as dementia and anti-aging to prepare for the super-aged society. In particular, the hospital has established a one-stop medical system by placing the cancer center in the same space, allowing immediate treatment within five days of detection.

The inpatient ward for overnight checkups located at the innermost part of the checkup center was also particularly impressive. Patients can stay overnight and receive meticulous care from a one-on-one coordinator. The ward also has convenience facilities such as a TV and shower. This option would be excellent for domestic and international patients from Seoul and other regions.

■Yusung Seon Hospital Expands to Provide Better Care and Experience

"I always feel a bit heavy-hearted after reporting on hospitals, but for some reason, I felt comfortable and happy today."

After hearing the impressions of the tour, Gyu Eun Yi, the newly joined chief operating officer, winked at Seung-hoon Seon, the medical director, saying, "Our goal has been achieved."

Gyu Eun Yi, Chief Operating Officer, said, "We don't say we're building a hospital; we say we're 'creating' it." He stressed that the hospital's management motto is to "do our best to create a good experience for everyone who steps foot in this place, to the point where patients feel happy even when they are sick."

Yusung Seon Hospital, a leading medical center in South Korea, is undergoing a major expansion to improve its patients' experience.

The expansion project is scheduled to be completed in July 2024.

This expansion includes cultural space for visitors, such as rest areas and performance halls, as well as a double-sized parking lot to alleviate parking congestion.

Employee convenience facilities will also be provided generously.

The medical director, Seung-hoon Seon, said, "We are preparing facilities, from foot baths where you can relieve fatigue for a day to sports facilities." He added, "We always pay attention to convenience facilities for internal employees as well, as employees must be happy to provide good patient experiences."

Then I could see we were talking after the tour, not at an office but a meeting room in the cafeteria."

Our hospital does not have separate offices for executives.

It is important for us to create more space for patients and staff.

We are okay with a place to put our laptops and talk face-to-face like this." Sun Seung-hoon Seon, the medical director, and Gyu Eun Yi, the chief operating officer, expressed their thoughts unison.

Reported InSun Jang·Translated by Jini Jung 다른기사 보기