The Nature of Healing

How CNUHH Is Moving Premium Healthcare Out of the City

Photos courtesy of Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital and Karly Pierre

Many tourists visiting South Jeolla include a brief trip to Hwasun in their travel plans. Despite being a relatively small town of only 100,000 residents, Hwasun’s rolling hills, lush forests and historical attractions intrigue travelers.  Hikers can make their way to Muedong Mountain National Park. Curious visitors can photograph the dozens of ancient stone Buddha statues at Unjusa Temple or the megaliths at Hwasun Dolmen Park. However, recently visitors have been making their way to Hwasun for another reason—medical care.

Since opening its doors in 2004, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital (CNUHH) has excelled to become the first national Korean hospital awarded Joint Commission International (JCI) certification, one of the most respected international hospital accreditations. This is no small feat considering the skepticism the ambitious facility faced upon announcing plans to locate in a small rural town.  Most of Korea’s top hospitals are located in Seoul. However, CNUHH Director, Dr. Cho Yong-beom, feels that the hospital’s location is a key part of its growing reputation.

“As you see, there are many mountains, flowers and fresh air and water,“ said Dr. Cho. “This is particularly important for our cancer patients. This environment with good nutrition and good medical care is important for recovery.”

While the hospital is a full-service medical facility, it specializes in cancer treatment. South Korea has the highest rate of stomach cancer in the world, with one in four deaths due to cancer. According to a study in Cancer Research and Treatment, a total of 280,556 new cancer cases and 76,698 cancer deaths are expected to occur in Korea in 2015. CNUHH Cancer Center is making significant strides in cancer treatment and research. According to Chosun Ilbo, CNUHH was the only national hospital to receive perfect scores for two years from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service for treatment and operation of colorectal cancer and has an 83.5 percent five-year survival rate—8.1 percent better than the average hospital in Seoul. The mortality rate for hematopoietic cell transplantation (HSCT) is 1.16 percent while the average among top Korean hospitals is 5.46 percent.

A graduate of Chonnam National University and Gwangju native, Dr. Cho practiced otolaryngology for 35 years before being named CNUHH hospital director in 2014.

“As director, my goal for the hospital is to provide efficient and safe service,” said Dr. Cho. “It’s important to care for patients as soon as possible and provide good communication between doctors and patients…Here our departments communicate very well, so patients can stay in one place and doctors go to them. In the United States, patients pay a lot of money for this kind of service, but here they don’t.”

Compared to Seoul National University, the cost of care and length of hospital stay is less at CNUHH.  According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, thyroid cancer patients on average spend 1,170,000 won (1,060 USD) at CNUHH for treatment compared to 1,650,000 won (1,459 USD) at Seoul National University.  Stomach cancer patients have a hospital stay of 14.5 days at CNUHH compared to 16.1 days at Seoul National University.

While CNUHH is earning a name in Korea, it is not shying away from the global market. The hospital has been able to draw patients from both Asia and the West, responding to the increasing demand for medical tourism. Many of its international patients come from Russia, but others have come from Vietnam, China, Myanmar, El Salvador, Uzbekistan, and the United States.  Many of the hospital’s top doctors and specialists have trained abroad and bring diverse experiences to CNUHH. Partnerships with international hospitals and institutes have also been a key strategy in its push to become a leading institution. Its most notable collaboration with German medical research group Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology is currently working to develop stem cell research, vaccine and cancer therapy. A joint laboratory recently opened on the CNUHH campus.

The hospital is also equipped with cutting-edge cancer treatment and surgical equipment with the goal of providing minimally invasive procedures with quick recovery times. Gamma knife radio surgery, positron emission tomography (PET), the DaVinci surgical system, Novalis Tx and linear accelerator are among the advanced procedures available. Gamma knife radio surgery treats intracranial diseases using gamma rays instead of making incisions in the head. The advantage is a painless surgery and discharge the following day. Of the 2,000 patients receiving this surgery at CNUHH by 2012, there was a 90% success rate.

With the new KTX line able to whisk patients from Seoul in two hours, a new highway cutting driving time between Gwangju to 15 minutes and hourly shuttle service from downtown Gwangju Chonnam Hospital to CNUHH, the hospital is increasing the popularity of this small town and ultimately reshaping its identity. But realizing its greatest asset, CNUHH secured 49,000 square meters of forest lined with quiet meandering trails as a retreat for its patients.

“Our hospital is a national hospital, so we have some responsibility to the government as well as people in Gwangju,” said Dr. Cho. “The doctors here understand that responsibility. We are always trying to do our best.“