Wooridul Spine Hospital
Wooridul Spine Hospital, external view Since its establishment in 1982, Wooridul Spine Hospital (WSH) has emerged as one of the world’s leading spine-specialized treatment facilities. With more than 1,130 neurospine specialists and other professionals, its staff provides services ranging from neurospinal, spinal thoracic, and anterior spine surgery to spinal medicine, orthopedics, and rehabilitation within the hospital’s “Spine Total Care System.”
In 2002 WSH recorded the highest number of surgeries—more than 8,000—among 19 neurospine-specializing institutes throughout the world. In 2007 alone, more than 21,500 operations and nearly 34,000 nonsurgical treatments were performed at the WSH facilities in Seoul, Cheongdam, Busan, Dongrae, and Daegu. WSH is expanding, with a newly opened branch in China, and another in Korea and in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) opening in 2009.
The hospital follows a philosophy of minimally invasive surgery and technique (MIST), striving for the least possible destruction of healthy tissue, and also endeavors to provide treatment without surgery whenever possible. WSH has developed an endoscopic surgery method that reduces the area of skin laceration, resulting in faster recovery, a high success rate, a reduced relapse rate, and a very high rate of patient satisfaction. New surgical methods for spinal disc treatment are currently in development.
The main Seoul WSH facility, opened in November 2007, boasts the latest high-tech equipment for treating spinal cancer and arthritis. Its implementation of non-invasive CyberKnife surgery is the first Korean metastatic spine tumor treatment to receive international clinical recognition. CyberKnife surgery removes the tumor in an average of three painless and bloodless procedures, relieving the pain and paralysis from pressure on spinal nerves, while significantly reducing the risk of tissue damage and other side effects compared to conventional radiation therapy. It is anticipated to be widely practiced for other end-stage cancers and recurring or multiple tumors.
WSH has taught its treatment methods to more than 530 neurospine specialists from more than 60 countries; a one-year training program for foreign doctors was launched in 2003. The hospital exchanges current surgery techniques with institutions in the US and France through conference and live-surgery video feed, hosts an annual International Neurospine Forum, and publishes research results in world-renowned medical journals.
The Wooridul International Patient Center, established in 2006 at the WSH facility in Kimpo International Airport, prides itself on one-stop care and administrative support. Through the 24-hour call center and online, prospective patients receive remote diagnostic examination and consultation, including detailed discussions of procedures, costs, and hospitalization. Interpretation is available in various languages (three linguists are on staff), and forms can be prepared in English and Japanese.Staff members assist with visas, insurance claims, and hotel reservations. Patients are picked up at the airport and welcomed with a fruit basket.
Visiting foreign doctors often recommend WSH to their patients, and the hospital is part of the Shang-Se-To Medical Belt linking institutions in Shanghai, Seoul, and Tokyo. From 2003 to 2007, the hospital’s international reputation brought 2,354 foreign patients to WSH, from countries including Portugal, the US, the Republic of South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Israel, Australia, China, Japan, and many others. To meet the demands of healthcare globalization, WSH is currently preparing for JCI accreditation.
Country: South Korea
Accredited By:
Address:
47-4 Chungdam-Dong, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, South Korea 135-100
Phone: +82 2513.8157
Email: wipc@wooridul.com.kr
Date Founded: 1982
Number of doctors: 120
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discectomy, minimally invasive spinal surgery
Last updated on 14 June 2011
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