The Kwangju Christian Hospital: Continuing a Cutting-Edge Tradition 

By Kim Sukang and William Urbanski

Which is the oldest hospital in Gwangju? No, it is not Chosun University Hospital. And no, it is not Chonnam University Hospital. It’s Kwangju Christian Hospital, which is now well into its second century of serving the Gwangju area. Begun as Jejungwon by an American missionary at the turn of the 20th century, the hospital proudly professes to be “the founder of modern medical science in Gwangju.” Intrigued by the advancements that it is making, the Gwangju News got in touch with the Kwangju Christian Hospital to bring you this interview.  — Ed.  

Gwangju News (GN): The Kwangju Christian Hospital (KCH) is a longstanding medical institution in the “City of Light” that many may not know the history of. Please introduce the hospital and its backstory for our readers. 

Kwangju Christian Hospital: The KCH is the first modern medical institution in Gwangju and was established by a missionary by the name of Dr. Nolan with the Korean Mission of the Presbyterian Church based in the United States in November 1905. It began administering its first treatments in Gwangju that year, then under the name of Jejungwon, for the purpose of curing diseases and spreading the gospel. 

In light of its long history, the KCH records firsts in Korea in conducting specialized treatment for Hansen’s disease, establishing a tuberculosis ward, doing chromosome analysis, establishing a pediatrics and adolescent clinic, and creating both a speech pathology program and a dental clinic. In addition, the hospital conducted Honam’s first endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures, endoscopic ultrasound procedures, replacement transfusions, artificial joint surgeries, holmium laser prostate surgeries (HoLEP), internal medicine practices, pediatrics, orthopedics, and urology treatments, in addition to operating a rehabilitation room for young children. It was also the first in the region to publish a nursing textbook and the first in Gwangju to introduce state-of-the-art, fourth-generation surgical robots.  

What is more, the history of serving the underprivileged with devotion has further compelled the institution to take responsibility for the health of Gwangju and Jeollanam-do residents, such as by offering domestic and overseas medical services, treating end-of-life cancer and mild pediatric patients, and providing professional and integrated elderly medical care. 

GN: The KCH is also the first public late-night children’s hospital in Gwangju, operating in earnest since September 2023. What is the purpose of operating a public late-night children’s hospital?  

Kwangju Christian Hospital: Local children’s hospitals in Gwangju usually operate from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays, and there are no hospitals open on public holidays. So, pediatric patients cannot help but use the emergency room of the university hospital during late-night hours and on public holidays. Not only does that give rise to having long wait times, but it also involves additional emergency fees and other inconveniences while waiting with other emergency patients. Treating young, mildly ill patients together with severely ill ones becomes difficult, as patients in need of urgent care require more timely treatment than those in less urgent situations. By treating pediatric patients at our public late-night children’s hospital, help can be administered safely at night and on holidays, making it especially easier to treat severely ill children before mildly ill ones. This contributes to improving the overall medical system for pediatric patients in Gwangju.   

GN: How are operating hours and medical staff deployed? 
Kwangju Christian Hospital: The KCH opens from 6:30 p.m. to 12 p.m. on weekdays, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturdays, and from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on public holidays. In total, it is open 365 days a year on weekdays and late at night. Seven pediatricians and five pediatric nurses are deployed and treat patients according to their work schedules. 

GN: Do you provide treatment in foreign languages for patients with an international background? 
Kwangju Christian Hospital: Yes, the KCH treats foreign patients in medical blind spots, and English and Chinese are languages in which treatment is available. The hospital was designated as a leading medical institution for Gwangju Medical Tourism in 2020 and has performed medical checkups, urology surgeries, and orthopedic surgeries on patients of many backgrounds. To provide one example, a Vietnamese resident living in Gwangju needed surgery due to a diagnosis of cerebral aneurysm at a university hospital. Even though the surgery required significant payments, the patient eventually underwent the necessary surgery and recovered completely after receiving treatment at the KCH. 

GN: The KCH has a Christian background. What is its difference compared to other general hospitals? 
Kwangju Christian Hospital: Employees of the KCH organize a missionary association and provide voluntary donations and services in order to serve their neighbors in need. They are devoted to working across the globe. For example, emergency rescue teams are sent all around the world if a global disaster arises. They also have led in working with multicultural families by launching an Internet newspaper, Danuri News. In addition to taking action overseas, rural medical services are conducted three months a year. Also, medical welfare such as Hope Relay and the Dimodecare for pastors are currently sponsored by the church. 

GN: How do you want the KCH to be recognized by foreigners living in Gwangju? 
Kwangju Christian Hospital: The KCH has led the development of medical care in Gwangju for a century. As being “a patient-centered hospital” that implements patient-centered medical services, all medical facilities and systems are operated mainly with patients’ safety and convenience in mind. The hospital has continuously been evaluated as the first and best institution by various health institutions and the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. Moreover, beds, medical facilities, and state-of-the-art medical systems, such as its robot-assisted surgery technology and rehabilitation programs, have helped it to attain certification as a medical institution conforming to patients’ stability regulations by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Furthermore, the KCH is taking a step further as a smart hospital that communicates better with customers by establishing a KakaoTalk notification service system for making it simple and comfortable for customers to use the KCH. 

Translated by Kook Hyuna.