Analysis of Clinical Contents of Outpatients in Foreign Clinic

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: With the increasing numbers of foreign residents and tourists in Korea, the need of medical care systems for foreign patients seems to be growing, but there are few studies related with foreigners staying in Korea so far. This study was conducted to obtain the basic clinical data of foreign patients for the better medical care of them. METHODS: This study is an analysis of 1,405 outpatients in International(Foreign) Clinic of Kangbuk Samsung Hospital from Jan. 1 1994 to Dec. 31 1996. Patient charts were reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: Of the total of 1,405 cases, 833 cases(59.3%) were males and 572 cases(40.7%) were females. The largest age group was the 4th decades, which were 408 cases(29.0%). By racial grouping, Japanese were the largest, accounting for 507 cases(36.1%) of all, followed by Europeans(including Oceanians) with 384 cases(27.3%) and North Americans with 335 cases (23.8%). The total number of hospital visits was 3,823. According to departments, Family Medicine had 968 visits(25.3%) of all, follewed by Pediatrics with 503 visits(13.2%), Internal Medicine 406visits(10.6%) and Dermatology 355visits(9.3%). The most common diagnoses were preventive medical cares such as general medical examination(6.0%), vaccination(4.5%), antenatal care(3.4%) and special investigations (3.1%), followed by acute infectious diseases such as acute upper respiratory infection including acute pharyngitis(7.4%), bronchitis(5.0%), infectious diarrhea(3.6%) and otitis media(2.9%) among top 20 ranks. preventive medical cares such as general medical examination and vaccination were more common in Family Medicine, and acute infectious diseases such as acute upper respiratory infection and bronchitis were more common in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. preventive medical cares and acute infectious diseases were common without any differences between advanced countries(North America, Europe and Oceania, Japan) and developing countries(Asia, Africa, Latin America), except infectious diarrhea. Hospital visits due to infectious diarrhea were much more frequent among advanced countries (4.3% in Japan, 3.4% in the others) than developing countries(0.9%). CONCLUSIONS: According to the results, it showed the certain characteristics of the high medical need about preventive medical care and acute infectious diseases among foreign patients staying in Korea. It also shows the need of family physicians who could play important roles in practicing preventive medical care and acute common diseases for foreigners. Therefore it is believed that further studies for foreign patients in Korea will be necessary and should be conducted in the future.