Asan Medical Center

Seoul Asan Hospital is the flagship hospital of the Asan Foundation, which operates eight regional hospitals across Korea. It was established in June 1989 as Seoul Central Hospital and was renamed in April 2002 to its current name. The hospital has a subsidiary, the Asan Life Science Institute, which supports basic medical and clinical research, publishes academic journals and books, and applies the integrated curriculum of the College of Medicine at Ulsan University. In December 1995, the hospital established an ARC (Admission Referral Center) to provide specialized care and has a dedicated center for gastrointestinal, neurological, cardiovascular, organ transplantation, and same-day surgery. It serves as a regional emergency medical center in Seoul and performs the functions of a tertiary medical institution in the Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi, and Jeju regions. In 1996, the hospital signed a medical cooperation agreement with Harvard Medical School in the United States to introduce advanced medical technology and promote internationalization of medical services. In 2007, it signed a mutual exchange agreement with Imperial College London. Through these efforts, the hospital has achieved the most organ transplants and cancer surgeries in Korea. In addition to primary care, the hospital hosts monthly lectures and cultural events, including movie screenings, art exhibitions, and charity concerts, for patients and their families. In 1995, it was the first hospital in Korea to win the Corporate Culture Award, and in 1999, it won the Best Customer Satisfaction Management Award and the Best CEO Award. The hospital was also selected as one of the most respected hospitals in Korea for three consecutive years from 2007. In March 2009, the hospital opened a pediatric and adolescent department, and in April 2009, it opened a new cancer center based on the model of integrated care in developed countries. As of July 2009, the hospital has 2,630 beds and is located at 388-1, Pungnap-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul.