Many hospitals in Seoul have an international desk, but coverage depends on the hospital, the department and the day. If you want someone who stays with you from registration to payment, you can book your own medical interpreter. This guide explains how it works.
When a private interpreter helps
- Health checkups that move through several departments in one day
- Dermatology, plastic surgery and dental consultations where details matter
- Test results, surgery consent forms and discharge instructions
- Clinics without an international desk
What the interpreter does
The interpreter meets you at the hospital, stays with you through registration, consultation, tests and payment, and interprets word for word between you and the medical staff. Interpreters do not give medical advice and do not recommend hospitals or treatments. If something is unclear, ask the doctor, and the interpreter will pass your question on exactly.
What to send before the appointment
- Hospital name, department, date and time
- The main reason for your visit in one or two sentences
- Any previous records, prescriptions or test results you want discussed
- Medicines you take and allergies, in your own language is fine
With this, the interpreter prepares the terms before walking in, and your consultation does not stall on vocabulary.
Remote or in person
A short follow-up call or a telehealth consultation works well with a remote interpreter by phone or video. For anything involving tests, procedures or consent forms, book an interpreter in person.
How to book
SIC Seoul Interpreting Center has 370+ registered interpreters in 21 languages and assigns an interpreter in about 30 minutes on average. Call or text us any time with the hospital, date and language you need.