1. What was your motivation for attending a
medical school? Why did you decide to become a physician? What are particularly
difficult or memorable incidents you recall in your career as a physician?
When I encountered people with leprosy or
disabilities as a child, I felt more sadness than fear. I had this vague
thought that I would someday like to help heal those suffering from illnesses
and isolation from society. During my teen years in high school, I was stronger
in math and sciences fields, which led me to medical school.
Looking back, every single moment of my
academic career has helped me to become a better health management professional
through meaningful challenges, including studying laboratory medicine,
preventive medicine and biotechnology in medical school. These experiences
built a strong foundation for me as a consummate physician seeking new medical
technologies and ways to treat patients effectively.
The difficulties I had encountered as a
physician included a low level of accessibility to preventive medical
technology and the underdeveloped environment only consist of evidence-based
medical treatment system. What I realized then was the importance of early
detection and diagnosis before people became seriously ill. Ensuring the health
of an individual through medical prophylaxis before one becomes a patient is as
critical, if not more than saving one’s life. Indeed, a noble mission of
medical professionals lies in ceaseless research and exploration dedicated not
only for curing sickness, but also maintaining and promoting health of a
population.
2. You’ve had a significant role in developing
and expanding one of the Korea’s most renowned medical examination centers and
establishing a developer for diagnostic reagents and testing laboratories. As a
visionary in the global medical field, you have successfully built and managed
a Korean-style comprehensive medical examination center in Hangzhou, China and
a medical center in Mongolia. What are your business philosophies and
strategies?
Korea is already a medically advanced nation
of which medical technology and services are internationally recognized and
revered. However, the reality for a patient in Korea is such that finding a
trustworthy hospital for him or her to rely on among many seemingly capable
physicians and hospitals is rather difficult. As a result, patients tend to
engage in “medical shopping” and seek only large and well-branched hospitals.
This has at times caused societal problems with increased medical cost and
undermining balanced development of regions.
Due to this current medical reality in Korea,
it is hard for physicians to realize their vocational mission and contribute to
making a healthier and happier society. The basis of my business philosophy
comes foremost from the love I have for my family and the society. As a
healthcare professional, I work hard to seek new technological progress and to
advance evidence-based preventive medicine.
Additionally, all of my education from middle
school to university completed at mission schools naturally instilled in me a
strong sense of faith and spirituality, sharing and responsibility for taking
actions. This is much relevant to my business philosophy of serving and having
consideration for others.
Seoul Clinical Laboratories Health Care, Inc.
celebrated its 30th anniversary last year, which meant a lot to me. Our new
motto is ‘health keeper of humanity through evidence-based medicine.’ In the
last 30 years, we have been recognized and trusted in the field of preventive
medicine through evidence-based medicine. With that knowledge and trust, we
will continue our effort in sharing our medical technology not only in Korea
but also globally with countries, such as China, Mongolia, and CIS region.
3. You have made an impressive transition from
an influential physician to a successful CEO. As a physician and a CEO, what
are your future aspirations and plans?
The dual position I have is neither
complicated nor simple when I consider my future plans and aspirations. It all
begins at a common place of dealing with people; furthermore, managing life and
death situations requires me as a CEO to seriously contemplate the sanctity of
life and human diseases before profit and materialism. Hence, my employees and
I are trying our best in order to serve and care for the human health and
welfare.
Although it had taken 30 years to properly
accept evidence-based medical assessment and preventive medicine in Korea’s
domestic diagnostic testing, its value in relevant medical fields was not fully
recognized at the time. However, our hard work along with advancement in
medical technology has enabled SCL Health Care Group to succeed. As we continue
to contribute to the betterment of global health, it is my wish to see SCL
thrive as one of the world’s premier biomedical institutions.
4. You were selected as one of the world’s
most influential 500 leaders by the renowned American Biographical Institute
(ABI) in the United States because your achievements as a physician and a CEO
were well recognized. What would be your advice to medical students and
aspiring physicians?
I was much grateful and humbled to receive the
award news from ABI in 2008, which was very meaningful to me as an individual
and also physician. It was an assurance for the transition I made from a
physician to a CEO in order to develop a medical system for diagnostic testing
based on continuous diagnostic research on hepatocarcinogen I had worked on as
a professor at Yonsei University.
There are important corporate responsibilities
for our management charter. A corporation must be mindful of the needs of
patients and their families, and also those of the medical and research team
who will use our diagnostic test results. The goal of the corporation we lead
should be to help process accurate and rapid testing for correct diagnosis that
allows patients to receive effective treatment for fast recovery and health
promotion.
Medicine is a profession that deals with human
body, more critically of life and death. This requires a careful observation of
patents’ pain and respect for the sanctity of life. Physicians and medical
professionals should never forget these principles.
5. You have contributed to WKMO, which you
currently serve as Executive Vice President. What do you envision for WKMO and
its roles?
I recently read a medical column which was
about how Stanford Medical School teaches students from around the world to
become outstanding medical leaders. The column discussed how Stanford provides
high-quality early education systems for pre-med students and medical training
programs that allow self-growth opportunities. I especially was envious of
their simulation center, funded by donations, where students can actually
experience clinical trials, patient surgery and emergency response based on scientific
scenarios. It’s not hard to imagine that Stanford Medical School’s innovative
programs reinforce early development of academic capabilities in students to
become potentially prominent physicians.
Since its foundation, WKMO has become a
central organization to help bring together Korean physicians from all around
the world. One of WKMO’s core functions has been to promote a mentoring program
for Korean medical students so that they can become dedicated physicians who
will contribute to their society. It has helped establish a solid basis among
Korean health care professionals around the world to strengthen their Korean
heritage and identity. I truly believe that through continuous progress, WKMO’s
systematic programs and projects will create brilliant global Korean physicians
leading the way in eradicating diseases and maintaining health of people
everywhere.
I hope to see WKMO bring more and more
participants and generous support of the global medical communities through
consistent development of WKMO’s brand value.
6. Readers of the World Korean Medical Journal
are leaders of health and medical care service industry in more than 10
different countries. As an entrepreneur and senior executive of WKMO, what
would you like to share with us?
We first entered Mongolia in 2002, and 10
years later, Hanaro Medical Foundation has established and run successfully a
Korean-style medical examination center in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province in
Eastern China. The big plan now is to work with our local partners in China to
set up similar health examination facilities in every province in China within
20 years.
30 years ago when the “Seoul Medical Science
Institute” was founded, there was no substantive revenue-generating model for
the institute given national income in Korea remained very low. The general
public was not ready to spend expenses related to preventive medicine practice
and examination services. Nonetheless, I am convinced that it was the right
choice to make at the time. I feel a great sense of pride as a health service
executive to see the medical world advancing toward more preventive medicine
and care and being recognized for its benefits.
Korea’s health medical examination model is
very unique and superior system, which developed nations have not yet produced
themselves. It is a future-oriented business that provides health care services
to healthy people, not patients; it also encourages innovation and development
of new subsidiaries in a wide range of areas, including pharmaceutical
industry, nurturing medical and health care education, and other related
products and systems. Therefore, I hope to further collaborate with WKMO to
strengthen cooperation and penetrate the global market to share Korea’s
excellent health examination business and medical systems.
I would like to close by wishing all of WKMO
members, Korean medical professionals around the world and their families much
happiness and blessings. Thank you.
Dr. Kyoung-Ryul Lee, Chairman of Hanaro
Medical Foundation
In 1991, Dr. Lee graduated with his MA degree
from Yonsei University Graduate School of Medicine. 6 years later in 1997, he
successfully achieved his PhD from Yonsei University Graduate School of
Medicine. Then, he worked as a Research Associate in the Scripps Research
Institute, Department of Molecular & Experimental Medicine for two years.
Dr. Lee became the Chairman of BioCore in 2002, adjunctive associate professor
in Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei University in 2003, branch
president of Korea Federation of AIDS Prevention Seoul in 2005 and Committee
Member of Drug Resource Center in 2006. Also, in 2008, he took several
important steps in his career which include being inaugurated as the 2nd
Chairman, becoming adjunct professor in Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei
University, and executive Director of Health and Welfare Division Yonsei
University Alumni Association. Further, Dr. Lee worked as a Senior
Vice-President of the Korean World Society and was awarded for “Underprivileged
Welfare Achievement Award” from Mayor of Seoul, Korea. Currently, Dr. Lee is
the Chairman of Hanaro Medical Foundation, the Vice President of Yonsei
University of Medicine Alumni Association and the Deputy of Clinical Laboratory
management Association of Korea since 2013, the year when he also received
Appreciation Plaque from Global Health and Welfare.