What makes Ansan Sarang General Hospital different from other general hospitals is ‘locality’. Ansan Sarang, run by the Chilsuk Medical Foundation, has served citizens of Ansan for the last 20 years with excellent medical practices and customer services. <Power Korea> met the director Kunyoung Cha and heard the story.

Faith, benevolence and service
Ansan Sarang was established in 1999 under the slogan ‘faith, benevolence and service’. Today, the hospital has grown to be running 10 specialized departments: internal medicine, pediatrics, family medicine, radiology, general surgery, neurosurgery, neurology, orthopedics, anesthesia and emergency. Quite recently in May 1st this year, the hospital opened the Joints and Spine Center and further expanded its service area. 

The innovative staff rotation system in particular is the pride of the hospital as patients do not need to wait during the lunch hour. Also, the 18 doctors are working in close cooperation with doctors in the renowned hospitals in Korea including Samsung Medical Center Seoul, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Ajou University Hospital and Soonchunghyang University Bucheon Hospital. Thanks to these innovative system and cooperation platform, around 1,000 outpatients are visiting the hospital on Mondays, 800 on weekdays and 600 on Saturdays. In addition, Ansan Sarang responds to patients promptly by organizing a meeting with a doctor or a specialist when needed or asked.

“Ansan Sarang is equipped with as excellent medical devices as used in university hospitals. Also, the knowledge and experience of the doctors in each department are the one of the best in South Korea” says Cha.

Cha obtained medical license in 2002 and joined Ansan Sarang as a physician. He is specialized in digestion, endoscope, respiratory system, diabetes and high blood pressure. As the director of the hospital, he also listens attentively to opinions and complaints of staff and patients. 

“In my opinion, a good doctor is humble and always serves patients as equal as himself. A good doctor doesn’t necessarily be a famous or a highly skilled but one who cares patients like his family and does his best to bring the cures.”

For many doctors, it might be stressful or even traumatic to see people dying at hospital far more frequently than ordinary people. What makes Cha feel rewarded, however, is his patients visiting back to the hospital to show gratitude to him. 

When asked about future plan, Cha said that the hospital was planning to extend the building starting from August or September this year. This is part of the continuous effort of Ansan Sarang in bringing better facilities and services. With this plan, Cha, the doctors and the staff of Ansan Sarang are ambitiously working together to grow the hospital as one of the top hospitals in South Korea over Ansan. 

▲ 안산 사랑의병원 차건영 병원장