한국의료관광의 성공적 정착에 관한 연구

Abstract

As the medical tourism industry, which is a fusion of medical service and tourism, is recognized as a new high value-added industry of a new kind, competition between countries and cities is very intense in order to prevail in attracting foreign patients. Korea has a higher level of medical technology, lower medical costs compared to major OECD countries, with the most advanced medical equipments in the world, and the reputation due to the influence of Korean Wave, but it is a latecomer to medical tourism advanced countries. It has achieved great results in a short period of time through sustained policy promotion and active publicity marketing, and it has grown remarkably as a major medical tourism destination. However, as various concepts of medical tourism are raised, it is necessary to establish a systematic concept of medical tourism because strategic focus can be changed depending on how the concept of medical tourism is established in Korean context or local level. The purpose of this study is to promote and present the prospect of medical tourism in Gwangju metropolitan city. The reason for this is that while early medical tourism is primarily focused on serious medical care, it has attracted foreign customers when it has the appropriate regional cultural characteristics without requiring the latest medical technology. When these tourism products and medical services are combined, the effects can be tremendous. Therefore, we analyzed the trend of medical tourism, the trends of major developed countries, the state of government, major local governments and medical institutions in Gwangju, medical and tourism resources, policy promotion status, and statistics of attraction performance in detail. As a result of this study, we discovered problems of communication constraint between foreign patients and medical staff, participation of minority medical institutions, lack of medical tourism products, low awareness and lack of public relations strategy. Therefore, this study suggests the successful settlement of medical tourism in Gwangju metropolitan city in four areas. The first is to acquire professional personnel in the field of medical tourism and to continue education. Second, it is the administrative and financial support of local governments and medical institutions. The third is the development of specialized brands and medical tourism products. Finally, I propose a plan to improve the recognition of medical tourism in Gwangju metropolitan city. Through this study, I hope that the medical institutions in Gwangju reduce the barriers entering medical tourism and actively participate to improve the medical level, revitalize the local economy and create more jobs.

Key words: Medical tourism industry, New high value-added industry, Professional personnel, Administrative and financial support of local governments, Development of specialized brands and medical tourism products, Raise awareness overseas