▲ New Segyero Hospital / Director Kim Seong-su

(PowerKorea) “Taking over 8 billion won ($6.9 million) debt was a condition to take over the hospital and it made me hesitate. But I liked the location and it had a high pressure oxygen center which was the only one in Tongyeong. So I decided to take over the hospital despite the debt in March 2018. But the things were worse than I expected. I had to pour money in bank interest and wages and the customer services were notorious” looked back Kim Seong-su, Director of New Segyero Hospital.

Kim lived in the hospital more than 20 days a month to make things right. He sold unnecessary medical devices to secure necessary fund to run the hospital effectively and efficiently. He invited talented doctors from Busan and South Gyeongsang Province with accommodations. He expanded departments and ran a training session for staff to provide better customer services. He joined hands with The Tongyeong Community Rehabilitation Center and the Korea Employment Agency for Persons with Disabilities and made 4 positions for disabled people. Gradually, the deficit turned to surplus.

New Segyero Hospital is 1 story underground, 7 stories above ground, has 99 sick beds and runs a high pressure oxygen center, pain center, internal medicine center, spine center, radiology center and emergency center. The high pressure oxygen center’s high pressure chamber can accommodate up to 12 patients. 

Cassion disease or bends are known to be decompression sickness, a disorder caused by the formation of nitrogen bubbles in the blood and tissues following a sudden drop in the surrounding pressure and characterized by joint pain, skin irritation, cramps, numbness, and, in severe cases, paralysis. 

It occurs especially in deep-sea divers when ascending rapidly from a dive. High pressure chamber not only helps ease the symptoms of decompression sickness but also various diseases. It is notable that Tongyeong is a port city and has many fishing villages in and around.

High pressure oxygen can also be applied for suppressing cancer cell activity, recovery after surgery, prevention of lymphedema, immunity strength, active oxygen removal, wound and burn. 

Kim reads 3 books a week and says all answers and wisdom of life are in books. He runs a hospital library on the lobby for patients and visitors to read. He also engages in children’s drawing contests and the Tongyeong Diving Association’s removing sea garbage on a regular basis in an effort to create a better Tongyeong.

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