Study on Treatment of Foreign Patients with Korean Medicine Published in SCI-Level International Journal

Results of Support from the National Institute for Korean Medicine Development...
Utilized as Reference for Policy Development in Korean Medicine Medical Tourism
Expanding into Diverse Fields Including Psychiatry...
Korean Medicine Chosen for Long-term Health Management

A research team from Tongin Korean Medicine Clinic (Kim Junghyun, Lee Serin, Kim Miju, Lee Seunghwan, Park Jeongsu), which is a foreign patient attraction support organization under the National Institute for Korean Medicine Development, recently published a study analyzing the treatment of foreign patients in the international journal 'Frontiers in Medicine'.

Image of a paper from Tongin Korean Medicine Clinic.

This paper is a retrospective case study that analyzes the characteristics and development potential of Korean medicine-centered medical tourism, based on the treatment data of 318 foreign patients who visited Tongin Korean Medicine Clinic in Seoul during 2024.

Notably, this study is the first systematic analysis of foreign patient treatment data at an outpatient Korean medicine clinic since the pandemic. It is academically and policy-wise significant, as it demonstrates that there is a growing demand for actual treatment, beyond just experiential Korean medicine medical tourism.

The results showed that about 69% of all patients were women, with the majority in their 20s and 30s. By nationality, the largest groups were from the United States (31.4%), France (12.3%), and Singapore (8.5%).

While musculoskeletal disorders were the most common area of treatment, the scope is expanding to include internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and psychiatry. Additionally, 53.8% of all patients were prescribed herbal medicine, with an average duration of use being 36.6 days, indicating a tendency for long-term use. By formulation, pills (hwanje) were chosen 2.3 times more often than decoctions, confirming a preference among foreign patients for convenient forms of medication.

Kim Junghyun, the first author and a doctor at Tongin Korean Medicine Clinic, stated, "It was impressive to see that foreign patients are actively choosing Korean medicine treatments not only for short-term pain relief but also for long-term health management," adding, "This study confirmed the potential for Korean medicine to expand beyond tourism content and become a global healthcare resource."

Lee Seunghwan, Director of Tongin Korean Medicine Clinic, said, "We were able to plan and carry out this paper through the National Institute for Korean Medicine Development's national project," and added, "I hope this serves as an opportunity to widely publicize the status of foreign patient treatment at Korean medicine clinics and to inspire new ideas and motivation among fellow practitioners."

Director Seunghwan Lee of Tongin Korean Medicine Clinic. Provided by the National Institute for Korean Medicine Development

Lee Youngmin, Director of the Globalization Center at the National Institute for Korean Medicine Development, stated, "With the increase in foreign tourists and the expansion of the Korean medical tourism market, we expect that the results of this study will serve as meaningful evidence for the establishment of Korean medicine medical tourism policies and institutional improvements."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.