Confirm the right department, appointment requirements and payment arrangements with the institution before you visit. Hospital size alone does not establish suitability.
Understand the institution type
- Clinics (의원) mainly provide outpatient care. Some focus on a specialty.
- Hospitals (병원) and general hospitals (종합병원) provide different combinations of inpatient and specialist services. Confirm the service you need.
- Tertiary general hospitals (상급종합병원) handle advanced care. Ask about referral requirements before arranging a visit.
Before your appointment
- Ask whether you need a referral, prior records or an appointment. Confirm requirements for your insurance or self-payment situation.
- Ask for a written estimate. Confirm consultation, testing, interpretation and medicine charges separately.
- Confirm your language, interpreter availability and cost. A translation app cannot reliably replace a clinical interpreter.
At the visit
- Bring the identification and records requested by the institution. Give your medication and allergy information directly to the care team.
- Ask for an explanation before agreeing to tests or treatment. Request receipts, records and follow-up instructions.
- If medicine is prescribed, confirm where to collect it and how to take it.
Urgent help
- For an emergency in Korea, call 119. Do not wait for a reply from this website.
- Confirm opening hours directly for non-emergency visits. This guide does not promise availability, wait times, prices or insurance coverage.
Sources and update
Sources checked: September 10, 2026. Copy revised for clarity.
This is an editorial source check, not an individual medical review.
General information only. Confirm medical decisions with a qualified clinician and entry rules with the relevant authority.
Med-in-Korea Editorial Team · Editorial policy
