Inje University Haeundae Paik Hospital has posted the second-highest overall score nationwide in a major patient-evaluated review of hospital care. The institution ranked first among all general hospitals in South Korea and recorded the highest score across the Busan, Ulsan, and South Gyeongsang region, outperforming even regional tertiary general hospitals.
Haeundae Paik Hospital announced that it received an overall score of 96.32 points in the "2025 (5th) Patient Experience Evaluation," released on July 31 by the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service (HIRA).
In the national evaluation covering 376 medical institutions, Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital, a tertiary general hospital, claimed the overall top spot with 96.55 points. Haeundae Paik Hospital, classified as a general hospital, placed second overall nationwide—just 0.23 points behind—while securing the highest score among general hospitals across the country.
Direct Inpatient Evaluations Across Seven Key Metrics
First introduced in 2017, the Patient Experience Evaluation allows hospitalized patients to directly rate their medical care experiences, including clinicians' explanations and attitudes, the treatment process, and the hospital environment. The survey evaluates key aspects of care, such as whether patients were treated with dignity during their stay and whether medical staff provided sufficient, easy-to-understand explanations.
The fifth evaluation was conducted from August to December 2025 among adults aged 19 and older who were hospitalized for at least one day at tertiary general hospitals or general hospitals.
The assessment evaluates seven specific areas: nurses, doctors, medication and treatment process, emotional support, hospital environment, protection of patient rights, and overall assessment.
Top Scores Nationwide in Doctor Communication, Emotional Support, and Patient Rights
Haeundae Paik Hospital achieved the nation's highest marks in three individual categories, earning 96.45 points in the doctors category, 94.8 points in emotional support, and 96.69 points in protection of patient rights.
The doctors category evaluates whether medical staff treat patients with respect, listen attentively to their concerns, and explain necessary medical information clearly. Emotional support assesses whether patients received help from medical staff when experiencing anxiety or distress, while protection of patient rights measures whether patient opinions were respected throughout the treatment process.
Kim Sung-soo, director of Haeundae Paik Hospital, said, "Because every member of our organization consistently put patients first and worked steadily to enhance the quality of care, we were able to achieve top-tier results nationwide. Moving forward, we will continue to drive digital innovation while further strengthening patient-centered medical services to remain a hospital that delivers the best possible patient experience."
