Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Overture1928]

My body isn't exactly working properly.... I feel I should get a colonoscopy. What is the process? Tell the doctor my problems then they decide what I need to do? I have national medical coverage but I actually just started a new job and I think my boss told me it will kick in starting next week. Do I have to wait? I honestly have no idea where to go. Never needed to go to the doctors except for my medical tests required for medical insurance/immigration. Does medical insurance cover colonoscopy? Do I have to show some paper when I go to the doctor that says I have NHIS or just show my ARC?

[Drew345]

I had a colonoscopy done at Yonsei Severance Hospital.
I was happy with the service overall, but their were some bad points.

First I went to the Severance international clinic and they gave me some meds to take for a month. That didn't help at all.

Then I went back to schedule the colonoscopy. They only did them on Fridays and I was in the queue 3 weeks.

Operation came out well. They removed 2 pallops. They do colonoscopy and endoscopy at the same time.

The problem with the whole thing was that international clinic. Everytime you see a doctor in there, it will cost you 80,000 and delay you from seeing the specialist for a week or 2. So all in all, the international clinic cost me about 240,000 extra and delayed me 6 weeks from my operation. It would be so much better to just go see the expert doctor first and skip that international clinic. But, unless you have a Korean friend helping you every step of the way, that is hard. Maybe just talk to the international clinic desk but really push to get an appointment with the expert doctor right away, and politely decline any invitations to see the international clinic doctor.
That is just how I ended up feeling about it anyway. Others may have had a great experience at the international clinic.

Good luck.

[tob55]

There are local health clinics that can provide this kind of service to you without going to a major university hospital. I go once every two years and have the colonoscopy done. My parents both died from colon cancer, so I have no choice. The cost at a public health clinic is greatly reduced from the costs in a hospital. The procedure takes between 20 - 30 minutes, usually under sedation, and the doctors can let you know right away if there is a problem. There is a one night prep period when you drink the koolaid from hell barrium cleanse, but once you have been cleaned out from that then it is just not eating for about 16 - 24 hours that will be the biggest problem leading up to the exam.

Not all clinics are good, but for the past 6 years the public health clinic I go to has been spectacular, and I am happy to say I have no problems

Good luck, and by all means if you feel there is a problem then get it checked out ASAP.

[ttompatz]

[Stan Rogers]

I went to Yonsei Severance Hospital once, and will never go there again. Its just a waste of money and line ups for brand name service that does the same as any other hospital.

Don't blame the doctors though. It's the owners who force the doctors to run a set course of fees and expensive tests.

Drew345 The month of pills you had to take beforehand, had more to do with the pill quota the hospital owners set for doctors to perscribe. My last colonoscopy required a week of pills beforehand, not a month.

[jcd]

I had one a couple of years ago.
So I went to the hospital. They will ask you your symptoms, tell them. And they will send you to the gastroenterologist.
I told him my symptoms and how long I had them. So we scheduled an appointment for the colonoscopy. I had to take a powder to clean out my system for about a day, and I couldn't eat anything.
The bill was super cheap. I don't think it was more than a hundred dollars. For everything. Turned out I had Ecoli.

I went to the hospital right next to pyeongchon station in Anyang. I would recommend it. I had the national health insurance. The doctors spoke English.
I was scheduled for the colonoscopy in the same week.

[Overture1928]

[Overture1928]

[Overture1928]

[atwood]

A friend recently had stomach problems and went to the Korea University ER in Anam-dong. He was diagnosed with diverticulitis and had to go back for a colonoscopy. He had a slight problem with them not taking all the gas out after the procedure, but fortunately the problem took care of itself, so to speak. But he was in a lot of pain for an hour or so.

[ttompatz]

[Overture1928]

[schwa]

I used to get those booklets provided to me through my (public) school but my last one expired 3 years ago & was never replaced. Since then I've gotten insured rates at clinics & hospitals by just providing my ARC number. Evidently the booklet isnt necessary if you have valid coverage.

[Overture1928]

[ttompatz]

But if you only provide your ARC (and don't know if you are enrolled for sure) you won't know if you have coverage or not either.

They simply use the ARC for your ID to put you into the database and hand you a bill. You won't know which rate you are charged and they won't likely tell you (or will be unable to understand you when you ask).

The doctors (and some nurses) speak English. The clerks at the front desk and cashiers usually don't.

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