Korean Job Discussion Forums

[FistFace]

I thought this wasn't a bad deal, so I decided to pass it on, as well as get your opinion.

I took my yearly blood and check for a lot less money this time around, but it was at a small clinic. Price was 35,000 this (or 50,000 won without health insurance). I always do one of these every year, just as a matter of common good health practice (also some hereditary blood issues that haven't been a problem for me yet).

I had been paying over 100,000-150,000 won for a yearly test from the International Clinic in Itaewon. I think their test is probably more thorough and up-to-date, but the clinic I got my test at today says they check for common blood problems, including STDs like chylamidia and AIDS. This clinic is, oddly enough, also called an international clinic, and is located on 3rd floor above a Family Mart, across from the goldfish bar in Itaewon (on the way to WhatTheBook). I heard it was inexpensive, but do know if they have a good reputation or not? It looked very old-fashioned and the doctor was quite old.

Should I consider this test a good deal, or has the International Clinic in Itaewon been gouging me for the past few years? Anyone used this clinic before?

[thebomb]

Normally anything that caters to an Expat market, with staff being bi/tri lingual charge through the nose, becuase they are aware that they have a captive market, and a close community for the word of mouth to pass.

[DCJames]

I went to the International Clinic in Itaewon for a STD check and found their prices to be ridiulously high. They don't accept Korean Health Insurance and the nurse I met was incredibly rude.

I will definitely take your recommendation and try this other clinic next time I need something.

[Pyongshin Sangja]

The Itaewon Int. Clinic has a rep for diagnosing everyone with stomach cancer. Clip joint.

[Faunaki]

The rude little chubby nurse is always sitting on the bed they have there, swinging her legs. It looks so stupid. They never change the blanket either.

Plus, has anyone ever seen the doctor move from his chair? Ever? I think he is glued to it.

And yah, it's way too expensive.

[Ilsanman]

I went there to get an ingrown toenail removed. he quoted me at 100,000 and when I reminded him that another clinic charges 30,000, he said 'then I suggest you go there.'

I thought medical rates in Korea are sort of fixed by some governing body.

[indytrucks]

I just had blood and urine samples taken (for my E2 medical) at Dankook Hospital. An initial consultation with a family doctor followed by the actual drawing of sample cost 49,000 won in total. Obviously, the blood work inculdes tests, among other things, for STDs such as AIDS/HIV.

So yeah, I think 100000-150000 won for mere blood work sounds like a proper rip off.

[bassexpander]

FistFace is my coworker. We were just talking about this stuff today, and I came across this in an E-mail. Yeah, the prices seem really high, although the tests appear involved:

http://www.internationalclinic.co.kr/std/STD_1.asp

[FistFace]

UPDATE:

I got my blood results back, and I was sure it was a mistake, because the test said I have B+ blood.

Did they switch my blood results with someone else?

When I was a university student long, long ago, I gave blood at a local red cross blood drive. I received a card in the mail which said "O POS" at the bottom. From this, I always assumed I had O POSITIVE blood. I carried that card with me for years, just in case I had some horrible accident, and they needed to know my blood type. Since that time, I've filled-out every medical, drivers, and insurance form I've ever received with "O+" for blood type.

Naturally, when the conflicting Korean blood results came back from this little clinic in a dumpy area of town, I assumed that they had messed something up. I told the doctor that there had to be some kind of mistake, so they called the lab for me (they outsource the blood tests to a big lab in Korea). Of course, the quick answer was, "There was no mistake." The doctor suggested I go to another clinic for a 2nd opinion.

I still didn't trust what the blood lab had said, so I marched on over to the International Clinic mentioned in this thread (it's a half block away) and they did a blood-type only check for me. It cost $10,000 won.

I waited a day for the results.

Guess what? I'm definitely B+ blood type!

And to think, I'd carried around that white red cross blood donor card for nearly 10 years, until the plastic degraded to the point that it fell into pieces. Perhaps, if someone had given me the blood, I would have died from it (but I don't know if O+ blood is acceptable to B+, so maybe not).

It's not secret that Koreans are crazy about blood-type and personality. They often asked me my type, and I said O+. They always said, "Oh, good!" I always felt that the Korean obsession with blood type and personality was a load of bunk, because I seemed to act like a B+ type person. Well, now maybe I have to reconsider that!

Anyway, the 35,000 won test came back OK with no problems. I was also glad to hear that I don't have AIDS or VD. ahhaha

[Positive Realist]

Ok, In defense of the Itaewon International Clinic from someone who use to work in an STI clinic. Their tests are PCR, in essence, they are testing your DNA. These tests can identify the HIV virus (yes, the virus, not the anti-bodies) within days of exposure and can pick up any STI while it is still in its incubation period (before you have symptoms). It also picks up symptomless STIs.

You can have herpes and HPV your entire life and not know it , because many people never have symptoms. A regular swab, urine or blood test can't pick them up without symptoms (think about that next time you get a clean bill of health). PCR testing can detect these without symptoms.

PCR Rocks and $150 aint shit for peace of mind.