Samsung Medical Center

When the Samsung Medical Center opened in 1994 it changed the paradigm of the domestic medical world with the advanced concepts “patient-centered” and “customer satisfaction.” The Samsung Medical Center plans to achieve medical innovation in the future to promote the happiness of patients and will develop into a global hub of bio health care study and link the industry by connecting to hospital-R&D Center-school and enterprises. At the same time, the SMC will create the image of a new future hospital as a public medical institution that leads social contribution.

General Information:

Total Land Area: 154,000 m²

Samsung Comprehensive Cancer Center

As Korea’s largest independent building with 11 floors aboveground, 8 floor underground, the Samsung Comprehensive Cancer Center now provides the most comprehensive care for cancer patients in Asia. It was opened in 2008 year and it aims to create a new standard for cancer care; covering prevention, examination, medical care, treatment, education, research and rehabilitation.
The top-of-the-line medical services that Samsung Comprehensive Cancer Center provides start with the trusted expertise of staffs, the world’s best cancer treatment systems, and personalized education and consultations.

Advanced Interdisciplinary Treatment / One-stop Treatment:

• – To provide the swiftest and most precise treatment, Samsung Comprehensive Cancer Center developed an interdisciplinary treatment system and a One-stop Consultation system.
• – Outpatient consultation rooms and examination rooms are assigned for each type of cancer, and a Professor’s Office located at the center of the inpatient ward enables speedy treatment.
• – By building Korea’s largest Cancer Ambulatory Treatment Center with 78 beds, Samsung Comprehensive Cancer Center made it possible for patients to receive daily anti-cancer treatment without having to be hospitalized.
• – Through interdisciplinary treatment methods, staff members at the cancer center are collaborating with relevant staffs at SMC to treat cancer patients’ comorbid conditions such as diabetes, heart-diseases or hypertension.

Heart Vascular and Stroke Institute (HVSI)

In creating the Heart Vascular Stroke Institute, we creating an integrated system that brings together internal medicine, general surgery, radiology, intensive care, and pediatrics. The goal is to ensure our patients have “strong heart”, “clean vessels”, and “happy brain” for as long as possible.

The medical staff of the center provides the highest quality treatment through close cooperation between departments, that is why the best treatment options for patients are considered.

Proton Therapy Center

SMC’s Proton Therapy Center was opened in the end of 2015 and it equipped by the most advanced equipment for this therapy. Proton therapy equipment has assist devices: the respiratory gated system that tracks down the movement of tumors due to breathing and the cone beam CT which spots the location of tumors accurately just before the therapy. It can also deliver efficient personalized treatment with a multi-leaf collimator as well as the intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) by using cutting-edge line scanning beams.

Proton therapy is a medical treatment that destroys cancer tissues with high-energy accelerated protons which are present in the nucleus of hydrogen atoms. While having less impact on healthy tissues, the proton particles run through the body and focus as much energy as possible on tumorsbefore they disappear. Therefore, this therapy causes less adverse effects than the existing X-ray radiation therapy and still proves effectiveness.

The proton beam passes through the body and transfers maximum energy to the cancer tissues and subsequently annihilates to minimize radiation exposure to the normal tissues. This process is composed of physical characteristics called, “Bragg peak,” which achieves effective treatment results while decreasing the risks associated to side effects in comparison to the existing radiotherapy methods. Especially, the proton therapy has been much applied to patients with pediatric cancer (brain tumor) who still have many years to live by minimizing the adverse effect of radiation and risk of secondary cancer occurrence.

Gamma Knife Center

Gamma Knife was installed at the end of 2001 and replaced the LINAC system. Since then, over 9,000 patients were treated with the Gamma Knife for a variety of intracranial disorders including vascular malformation, primary and metastatic brain tumors, pain and movement disorders.

Gamma Knife is used as a device for conducting high-precision operations by radiation. The main feature is that with the help of this technology it has become possible to carry out 20-30% of operations on tumors and arteries of the brain without injury. Also currently, this technology is used in the operation of the ternary nerve, the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, etc.

The Gamma Knife Center is part of the Department of Neurosurgery which has 13 faculty neurosurgeons and performed more than 3,100 neurosurgical operations in 2015. Gamma Knife is operated by a neurosurgeon dedicated in radiosurgery, a physicist and a nurse and other neurosurgeons in the department are also involved in decision making and follow up after radiosurgery. SMC has two Gamma unit (Icon) are in operation.

Diseases which can be treated with Gamma Knife:

• – Vascular lesions: Arteriovenous malformation, Cavernous angioma etc.
• – Malignant tumors: Metastatic brain tumor, Melanoma, uveal, Malignant glial tumor etc.
• – Benign tumors: Meningioma, Pituitary Adenoma etc., Vestibular Schwannoma, Schwannoma, Facial schwannoma, Trigeminal schwannoma, Craniopharyngioma etc.
• – Pain and functional disorder: Trigeminal neuralgia, Tremor, Intractable pain, Epilpesy etc.

International Healthcare Center

International Healthcare Center (IHC) is a center dedicated solely to the care of patients at Samsung Medical Center (SMC), one of South Korea’s leading hospitals. IHC opened in September 1995 and is the premier medical clinic for resident expatriates and patients in Korea.
Our center acts as the care coordination center for patients. We as primary care physicians are experts in you and are focused on your personal health needs and wellness goal. To satisfy patients’ needs and preferences in delivery of best health care, we offer a wide range of services inside our clinic including general adult and pediatric medical care, personalized wellness examinations, and urgent-care visits.

Our doctors, nurses, coordinators and administrative officials in this center are fluent in English and Korean. In addition, we offer Arabic, Russian, Mongolian and Chinese translators. We are committed to provide the best quality health care for each of our patients, whether residing within Korea or traveling from abroad.

This center can be called as the heart of a hospital for foreigners. Every year many patients from abroad visit our hospital and receive a high quality treatment.

Health Promotion Center

Our Health Promotion Center is the one of the nation’s biggest comfortable medical examination space, 7,260㎡ medical examination zone.

We have two Health Promotion Centers in hospital. One was opened in 1998 (Annex Building) and the other one in 2008 (Cancer Center).

The main purpose of screening is to detect and diagnose certain diseases. People need to take this regularly even they are not sick. Testing track based on a conveyor system of manufacturing allows clients to finish many tests within a few hours.
If something is found as a result of the screening, patients are guided to outpatient clinic where specific treatments can be performed.

Irwon Station (Subway Line 3), Exit 1 (5-minute walking distance)