Can I go straight to a big hospital in Korea, or do I start at a local clinic?
When I feel sick, I'm not sure whether it's better to go directly to a large university hospital or start at a neighborhood clinic. I've also heard that university hospitals charge much more without a referral letter. I'd appreciate knowing the order in which a foreigner should use local clinics versus general hospitals, and how to get a referral letter.
1 Answer
Korea works on a tiered system, so you normally start at a local clinic (의원) — a neighborhood internal-medicine or ENT clinic handles colds, minor pains, and most everyday issues cheaply. University (tertiary) hospitals require a referral letter (진료의뢰서) from a clinic or smaller hospital for your insurance to apply properly; if you go straight there without one, you pay close to the full cost and it's far more expensive. So if something serious is suspected, see a local clinic first and ask the doctor to write you a referral to a university hospital — and of course, in a true emergency you can go straight to the ER without any referral.