Emergency Medicine Faculty / Medical Staff >

The Department of Emergency Medicine of the Samsung Medical Center provides prompt, accurate treatmentaround the clock for all types of diseases that require immediate attentionthatcan occur anywhere and at any time. Since the start of the emergency medicine specialist system in Korea in 1996, we have consistently trained emergency medicine specialists. The emergency room of the SMC is visited by more than 70,000 patients each year and is evaluated as providing high-quality emergency care in an emergency response institution assessment based on the information available on the National Emergency Department Information System (NEDIS).

Major areas of treatment / Clinics

CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation),major trauma, and diverse internal medicinal and surgical emergency diseases

Strong points

We have centers attending exclusively to patients experiencing chest pain and strokes within the emergency room to treat acute myocardial infarction and acute stroke the most quickly. We also activelyperform hypothermia for cardiac arrest cases, which has brought out the best recuperation results of patients with cardiac arrest before hospital in Korea. With extensive investments in the emergency room,whichcannot but be operated at a deficit due to the domestic conditions, we have made new treatment environments. The emergency room,whichwas crowded like a marketplace,has been changed into a smart emergency room with an investment of 10 billion won, and the available area has beed expanded two times. In addition, treatment areas were departmentalized according to patients’ symptoms so that a new emergency room model that has not been seenin domestic hospitals before was born.
The emergency room of the Samsung Medical Center implements a “1+1+1”strategy, which is a system in which each (1) of the patients that visit the emergency room is provided with one (1)-stop treatment services by specialists in varioustreatment areas, including emergency medicinespecialists, to complete all decisions, including treatment plans after initial diagnoses,within one (1) hour.
In addition, we operate a team for transportation outside the hospital and Korea's one-of-a-kind emergencyhelicopter, in which treatement for critical patients is possible, to transport patients from anywhere in Korea safely and quickly. Also, since 2008, we have used our clinical simulation center to provideCPRtraining according to the standard of the American Heart Association to all hospital staff, community members, and medical experts. Through this, patients with cardiac arrest in and out of the hospital are quickly treated and the prognosis is improved.

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Patients' Rights and Responsibilities

Patients' Rights

1. Right to receive medical care

Patients have the right to receive proper care in a safe setting without discrimination nor should their right to care be violated regardless of their gender, age, religion, social status, nationality, language, race, or physical/mental/financial status. Medical teams shall not refuse to provide care without justifiable reason.

2. Right to be informed and to make an autonomous decision

Patients have the right to obtain full and complete information from their medical team, to ask questions, and to determine their agreement or refusal concerning: diagnosis, treatment (purpose, plans and methods), outcomes of care (including unanticipated outcomes), discharge plan, participation in medical research studies, organ transplantation/donation, etc. Within ethical boundaries, patients may discontinue or refuse treatment, request that the medical team explain and suggest alternative treatments, and reserve the right to make their own decisions.

3. Right to confidentiality

Patients' rights to confidentiality regarding their physical/health status and privacy will not be violated. Patients can expect that all medical records/reports and their personal privacy will be kept confidential unless the patient has given consent or disclosure is permitted by law. To ensure their privacy, patients may be informed that Individuals not directly involved in their care may not be present and that the number of guardians accompanying patients to consultation rooms may be limited.

4. Right to request consultation and mediation

In the event of a medical dispute, patients may request consultation and mediation from an internal or external agency (Korea Consumer Agency, Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency).

5. Right to have values and beliefs respected

Patients will not be discriminated against because of their culture, religious values, or beliefs, and their rights will not be violated.

6. Right to receive care in a safe setting

Patients have the right to receive hospital-provided care where the patient’s medical information is protected and patient safety can be assured. In addition, patients have the right to be protected from possible dangers that can occur in a hospital and to have stability of mind and body.

Patients' Responsibilities

1. Responsibility to trust and respect the medical team

Patients must accurately inform the medical team of their health condition and must trust and respect the medical team's treatment plan. Patients may be responsible for consequences that result from not following instructions.

2. Responsibility to not use dishonest methods for medical treatment

Patients must reveal their identity before receiving any medical care and must not use false or dishonest methods, such as seeking medical care under disguised ownership.

3. Responsibility to abide by all hospital regulations

Patients are expected to treat all hospital staff and other patients with courtesy and respect; to abide by all hospital rules; and to earnestly fulfill their financial obligation to the hospital. Also, patients and their family members are expected to participate in all safety regulations.