4. In which ways is the initiative creative and innovative?
|
○ Establishing a ‘stay-type’ medical tourism cluster and setting up the Medical Tourism Council with participation from both the public and private sectors
- 2008 SMS Project master plan set up
- 2010 Designated as one of the leading medical technology promotion and support projects
- 2011 Basic and detailed designs completed.
Opened a medical tourism information center.
Set up of a symbolic structure and bus stops.
SMS honorary road name assigned.
- 2012 Completed road maintenance work and designs of relevant facilities and structures, SMS project Completed.
○ Promoting the city as a center for medical tourism by hosting the SMS Festival and pioneering overseas markets
- 2010 Pioneered a new medical tourism market in Beijing, China.
- 2011 Pioneered overseas medical tourism markets (Mongolia and Shenyang in China) and hosted the first SMS Festival
- 2012 Hosted the second SMS Festival and held overseas medical tourism information sessions (Shenyang, Hangzhou and Ningbo in China) and familiarization tours
- 2013 Hosted the third SMS Festival, pioneered overseas medical tourism markets, and opened an online blog
- 2014 Hosted the fourth SMS Festival
|
|
5. Who implemented the initiative and what is the size of the population affected by this initiative?
|
○ Busan Metropolitan City Government: budget support, institutional improvement and the set up of action plans.
○ Korea Tourism Organization: operation of medical tourism information center.
○ Citizens: outdoor billboard and street stall maintenance.
○ SMS Medical Tourism Council, Korea Tourism Organization,Busan Metropolitan City, Busan Economic Promotion Agency,
Busan Medical Industry Association, Busan Tourism Organization and local press: hosting of SMS Festival
○ SMS Medical Tourism Council: offering of free medical services to low-income or vulnerable social groups including multi-cultural families and North Korean defectors
○ Community health centers in Busan: operation of the SMS Customer Support Center.
|
6. How was the strategy implemented and what resources were mobilized?
|
○ Cost of financial, technical and human resources
- A total of KRW 2.5 billion (1 billion from the central government, 0.8 billion from the city government and 0.7 from the district office) was invested in establishing the necessary infrastructure in 2009.
- The SMS Medical Tourism Council was set up, joined by residents, administrators and experts who engaged in every stage of the process from planning to operation of the SMS Festival.
- A medical tourism information center opened, and a medical tourism advisory committee, composed of public officials, professors or experts, officials from medical tourism-related organizations, journalists and others, was created.
○ Budget appropriation and sources of funds
- The budget for the establishment of infrastructure was covered by central and city governments.
- The SMS Festival is financed by the local government through an ordinance on the promotion of the medical tourism industry in Busanjin-gu, Busan Metropolitan City (ordinance enacted on June 10, 2011).
- Financial support was provided by the Korea Tourism Organization, Busan Bank, Lotte Department Store Busan and other private donors, offering a good model for urban regeneration.
|
|
7. Who were the stakeholders involved in the design of the initiative and in its implementation?
|
○ Building of partnership among residents, the public sector, experts and civic groups
- A community association installed to encourage residents to play a leading role in the project
- Operation of a council to review and monitor services and provide advice
○ Job creation for residents by attracting international patients
- Successfully attracting foreign medical tourists
(Number of inbound patients: 925 in 2009 → 2,484 in 2013, up by 260%)
○ Creation of quality jobs
- About 200 medical facilities opened in the area along the SMS, invigorating the local economy and creating jobs.
○ Promotion of the local economy
- The hosting of the medical tourism festival and the establishment of infrastructure have helped to steadily increase profits, contributing to the local economy.
(Medical expenses of international patients: KRW 200 million in 2009 → KRW 2.1 billion in 2013, up tenfold)
|
|
8. What were the most successful outputs and why was the initiative effective?
|
○ In order to promote the world class medical services available along the SMS as well as the city’s abundant tourism resources to the public, a ‘Customer Center’ was opened online at (http://www.smsmeditour.go.kr) to provide user evaluations and reviews on SMS services and tourist attractions.
○ The economic effects of the festival and others are analyzed by conducting surveys.
○ An SMS Medical Tourism Council and an advisory committee, joined by citizen representatives, district council members, public officials and representatives of civic groups, were set up
- To review the development of medical technologies, ensure connection between projects, and offer design and operational advice on individual projects.
- To deliberate items submitted by a community association and provide advice.
|
|
9. What were the main obstacles encountered and how were they overcome?
|
○ Lack of awareness among residents
- Held a resident meeting at the site and set up a council joined by public officials, residents and relevant organizations before implementing the project to enhance understanding and encourage participation from all stakeholders
○ Lack of legal basis upon which to seek financial support for the medical tourism festival
- Enactment of an ordinance on the promotion of the medical tourism industry in Busanjin-gu, Busan Metropolitan City
○ Set up of a medical tourism task force
- Test operation of the Medical Tourism Industry Division on September 2014 (an ordinance revised and approved by the city council)
|