Documents to Prepare for Medical Care in Korea

Preparing the right documents before visiting a Korean hospital can make registration and medical consultation easier, especially for patients traveling from overseas for specialized care.

The exact requirements depend on the hospital, department, and type of treatment.

BASIC IDENTIFICATION

International patients may be asked to provide:

• Passport
• Residence Card, if applicable
• Contact information
• Emergency contact information

Always check the hospital's current requirements before your appointment.

MEDICAL RECORDS

For ongoing or specialized treatment, prepare relevant medical information such as:

• Medical history
• Previous diagnosis
• Treatment summary
• Laboratory results
• Imaging reports
• CT or MRI records
• Pathology reports, when relevant
• Surgery records
• Current medication list

Not every patient will need all of these documents.

MEDICATION INFORMATION

Prepare a current list showing:

Medication Name · Active Ingredient · Dosage · Frequency

If possible, bring the original medication packaging or clear photographs of the labels.

Also inform medical staff about known drug or food allergies.

REFERRAL DOCUMENTS

Depending on the hospital, treatment, and insurance situation, a referral document may be required or recommended.

Confirm this with the hospital before visiting a major or tertiary medical center.

INSURANCE DOCUMENTS

If you plan to use insurance, prepare relevant information such as:

• Korean National Health Insurance information, if applicable
• Travel insurance policy information
• International/private insurance information
• Insurer contact details
• Pre-authorization documents, when required

Insurance procedures vary considerably.

TRANSLATING MEDICAL RECORDS

Hospitals may have specific requirements concerning the language and format of overseas medical records.

Do not arrange expensive translations before checking what the hospital actually requires.

For complex cases, ask the international patient department whether documents should be translated and which languages or formats are accepted.

DIGITAL MEDICAL FILES

Some hospitals may request medical information electronically before an appointment.

For imaging or other large medical files, follow the hospital's instructions regarding acceptable formats and submission methods.

KEEP ORIGINALS

When possible, keep your original documents and travel with copies or digital backups of important records.

Medical documents contain sensitive personal information, so store and transmit them securely.