"The greatest asset Soonchunhyang has built over the years is its culture of patient experience and love for people. We will turn the value of being the hospital where patients are most respected into our strongest competitive edge."
Lee Sung-jin, the new director of Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital and a professor of ophthalmology who took office in January, held a press conference on Tuesday and said, "We will raise the standard of how we treat patients — not just in terms of kindness, but across our clinical attitude and organizational culture as a whole."
Lee graduated from Soonchunhyang University's medical school and previously served as the hospital's public relations director, deputy director of clinical affairs, and head of external cooperation at the Soonchunhyang Central Medical Center. Among patients, he is renowned as a leading specialist in retinal diseases, known for sharing his phone number and personally replying to patient questions on online forums.
Shortly after taking office, Lee unveiled "H³" as his future vision, an acronym derived from "Happy Healing, Happy Hospital, Happy Horizon." The concept aims to achieve sustainable growth by creating a hospital where patients are happy, the institution thrives, and faculty and staff grow together. Addressing the hospital's parking problem was one of his first moves in line with this vision. Since March, the hospital has offered free valet parking for all visitors. Wait times that previously stretched to nearly an hour have been eliminated, significantly boosting visitor satisfaction. "When patients, the hospital, and staff are all happy together, the hospital's value grows and its future brightens," Lee said. "I want to build a hospital where everyone grows together."
His top priority is strengthening the hospital's capacity to treat severe diseases including cancer. To that end, the hospital opened a "Severe Case Fast-Track Support Center" on March 10. The center systematically and swiftly coordinates care for severe and suspected-severe patients referred from other medical institutions. The initiative is a natural choice for a physician who spent 25 years performing countless emergency surgeries for retinal detachment, a condition that can cause blindness. "For severe patients, securing the golden time for treatment is more important than anything," Lee said. "Through the operation of the Severe Case Fast-Track Support Center, we expect more systematic and faster treatment for severe patients."
Beyond clinical care, the hospital plans to gradually expand its preclinical research infrastructure to strengthen capabilities in severe disease, emergency medicine, artificial intelligence, and big data, positioning itself as a research-oriented hospital. Lee is also working to build an organizational culture in which professors take pride in both research and clinical practice, and staff feel proud enough to stay long-term. "We will set our goals high but keep our direction clear, advancing one step at a time," he said. "I will focus all our capabilities on making Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital a place trusted by patients, where staff feel pride, and where the future is something to look forward to."