Samsung Medical Center (SMC) is one of Korea’s leading medical organizations. It operates three specialized treatment facilities, two in Seoul and one in Masan, as well as the Bioscience Research Institute situated in Seoul. SMC is widely recognized for its excellence in patient care, research and education, and has ranked first in national ratings, including the National Customer Satisfaction Index, which has ranked it first for 8 consecutive years.

SMC continued to show remarkable advancements across all areas including patient care, research and education in 2006. It opened Korea’s first Chest Pain Center, permanently staffed by heart specialists to more efficiently serve acute chest pain patients, especially those with myocardial infarction. It became the first non-U.S. organization to receive full AAHRPP (Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Program) accreditation. Other milestones included the Center’s 10,000th stomach cancer surgery, seven successful heart transplants, and up to 7,000 outpatients treated in a single day.

In addition, SMC provides free healthcare services to the underprivileged, in close association with MBC (Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation) and major charity groups, and last October launched the Samsung Medical Volunteers Group as a permanent operation to offer services to those in need.

SMC is expanding its collaboration with biotechnology companies and research institutes, such as Beijing Ciji Health Examination Group in China. It is also building Asia’s best cancer facility, Samsung Cancer Center, scheduled to open in 2008. The facility will house 17 operating rooms, 69-bed acute care units and 48 outpatient offices, offering world class treatment opportunities to 2,250 outpatients and 650 inpatients per day.

Building on these successes, SMC will continue to focus its resources on becoming a premier cancer center not only in the Asian region but also across the world.