According to a recent patient experience assessment published by the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service (HIRA), Seoul National University Hospital was placed 45th among 47 leading hospitals, falling into the lowest category. Among the so-called “Big 5” major hospitals, only Asan Medical Center managed to secure a position within the top 10.
A report by this newspaper, based on HIRA’s evaluation results from August 3, shows that Seoul National University Hospital received 85.96 points in the assessment. Only Pusan National University Hospital (83.44 points) and Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital (85.92 points) had lower scores among leading hospitals. HIRA has been conducting patient satisfaction surveys every two years since 2018, focusing on patients who were discharged from general hospitals or larger facilities. The evaluation included 130,306 adult patients discharged from 476 general hospitals or larger institutions between August and December of last year.
A significant finding in this assessment was the poor performance of major hospitals, including Seoul National University Hospital and the “Big 5.” Only Asan Medical Center achieved 5th place overall (95.31 points), making it one of the top 10. Other hospitals were ranked as follows: Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital at 12th (93.64 points), Samsung Medical Center at 21st (91.75 points), and Severance Hospital at 37th (88.19 points). This year, HIRA implemented a grading system, where scores of 90 and above are categorized as “1st grade,” and those between 85 and 89.99 are labeled “2nd grade.” Seoul National University Hospital and Severance Hospital were placed in the “2nd grade” category.
The leading institution was Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital, which scored 96.55 points—marking its second straight top position. The following three spots were occupied by regional top hospitals: Inje University Busan Paik Hospital (96 points, 2nd), Dankook University Hospital in Cheonan (95.95 points, 3rd), and Yeungnam University Hospital (95.49 points, 4th).
The findings have led to criticism stating, “although leading hospitals have outstanding medical professionals and infrastructure, they frequently fail to establish an emotional bond with patients and do not meet the service quality expectations of patients.” Nevertheless, some people suggest that hospitals handling more critical cases might have less time to explain patients’ conditions. A representative from a prestigious hospital mentioned, “In areas where there are fewer top-rated hospitals, patients may view the service as superior because of the limited options available.”
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