KUALA LUMPUR - South Korea will allow medical tourists to receive telemedicine services beginning next year following a revision to its medical tourism law.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said the amended legislation on overseas medical services and medical tourism has been officially enacted and will take effect in one year.
Under the revised law, doctors, dentists and practitioners of Korean traditional medicine at registered medical tourism institutions will be allowed to provide remote consultations, education, diagnosis and prescriptions using digital communication technology.
The telemedicine services will be available for both first-time consultations and follow-up treatment at participating hospitals and clinics.
Registered medical tourism providers will also be allowed to develop or outsource systems that support remote treatment and prescription services.
The ministry said institutions that fail to comply with telemedicine regulations could face the cancellation of their registration.
The amended law also broadens reporting requirements for overseas medical expansion projects to include non-profit organisations and companies operating under commercial law.
According to the ministry, the change reflects the growing involvement of healthcare management companies and other organisations in expanding South Korea’s medical services overseas.
The legislation also provides a legal framework for annual surveys on overseas medical expansion and medical tourism, with the findings to be used in future government planning.
South Korea recorded 2,011,822 medical tourists last year, surpassing the two-million mark for the first time since official records began in 2009.
The latest figure highlights the country’s growing position as a leading destination for international medical treatment and healthcare services.