Korean clinic software, built to help you achieve KOIHA certification.
In Korea a 의원 opens by report to the local 구청장 under the 의료법, keeps a signed 진료기록부 for 10 years, and logs every change to an electronic record, while KOIHA certifies hospitals and clinics registered for foreign patients. wai runs booking, signed clinical notes, patient messaging in Korean, Chinese, Japanese, English or any language, payments and an audit trail on one record, so the evidence is kept as the work is done.
Five areas set by the 의료법, KOIHA and PIPA, from opening the clinic to the patient's health information.
Five areas the 의료법, KOIHA and PIPA set, from opening the clinic to the patient's health information. Open one for the rules behind it.1
01Opening the clinic (개설)A doctor may practise only in a medical institution that has been opened under the 의료법. A 의원 opens by report to the 시장, 군수 or 구청장, and a hospital needs a permit from the 시도지사.5 requirements
의료법 제33조 제3항, 의원 개설 by report (신고) to the 시장, 군수 or 구청장
의료법 제33조 제4항, 병원급 개설 by permit (허가) of the 시도지사 after the 의료기관개설위원회
의료법 시행규칙 제25조, the 개설신고서 with floor plans and licences, and the 개설신고증명서
의료법 시행규칙 제26조, a 변경신고 for a new site, name, departments or number of doctors
02The medical record (진료기록부)The 의료법 requires every doctor to record the main symptoms, diagnosis and treatment in detail and sign it, keep the record for the period the 시행규칙 sets, and let the patient see and copy it.5 rules
의료법 제22조, the 진료기록부 written in detail and signed
의료법 시행규칙 제14조, what the 진료기록부 must record, from symptoms to the date and time
의료법 시행규칙 제15조, 진료기록부 10 years, 환자 명부 5 years, 처방전 2 years
의료법 제22조 제3항, no false entry and no deliberate amendment
의료법 제21조, the patient's right to see the record and receive a copy
03Electronic medical records (전자의무기록)A record may be kept electronically with an electronic signature. The clinic must hold the facilities to keep it safe, keep a separate access log of every addition or amendment, and tell the Minister at once of a breach.5 rules
의료법 제23조 제1항, 전자의무기록 with an electronic signature
의료법 제23조 제4항, a separate 접속기록 for every addition or amendment
의료법 시행규칙 제16조, the facilities and equipment for keeping 전자의무기록 safe
의료법 제23조의3, a 진료정보 침해사고 reported to the Minister at once
의료법 제23조의2, standards for EMR systems and certification by the Minister
04KOIHA certification (의료기관 인증)The Minister of Health and Welfare certifies medical institutions through KOIHA against standards on patient rights and safety, quality improvement, care processes, organisation and patient satisfaction. Hospitals apply voluntarily, 요양병원 must, and a clinic registered for foreign patients may.6 requirements
의료법 제58조의3, 인증기준 on patient rights and safety, quality, care, organisation and satisfaction
의료법 제58조의3 제2항, 인증, 조건부인증 and 불인증
의료법 시행령 제28조, institutions registered under 의료해외진출법 제6조 제1항 may apply
급성기병원 인증기준 Ver. 5.0, for surveys from 1 September 2026
05Consent and health informationHealth information is 민감정보 under PIPA, processed only with separate consent or where a law allows it. Surgery, transfusion and general anaesthesia need written consent under the 의료법, and a leak is reported within 72 hours.5 rules
개인정보 보호법 제23조, health information as 민감정보, with separate consent
개인정보 보호법 제28조의8, transfer abroad only on a stated ground
개인정보 보호법 제29조, 안전조치의무, an internal plan and access logs
개인정보 보호법 제34조 and 시행령 제40조, a leak reported within 72 hours
의료법 제24조의2, explanation and written consent before surgery, transfusion or general anaesthesia
The four domains KOIHA publishes for its standards, and what sits under each.2
01
기본가치체계
Patient safety activities, the base value every other standard rests on.
02
환자진료체계
Access and assessment, patient care, medicines, surgery and anaesthesia, and respect for patient rights.
03
조직관리체계
Quality improvement and safety, infection control, management, human resources, facilities, and 의료정보/의무기록 관리.
04
성과관리체계
Measured results, the evidence that quality and safety are improving.
05
Tracer surveys
KOIHA surveys by tracing patients through care, with surveyors on site for days according to the institution's size.
06
Between surveys
A certified institution submits a self review during the four years, and KOIHA visits again 24 to 36 months after certification.
How does a KOIHA decision end?
The 인증심의위원회 decides one of three grades, and KOIHA publishes it on its website.3
인증Certified, valid 4 years, with the mark
조건부인증Conditional, valid 1 year, then surveyed again
불인증Not certified
4 years
is how long 인증 lasts, with a mid-cycle visit 24 to 36 months in.3
30 days
is how long an institution has to appeal its grade after it is notified.4
10 years
is how long a 진료기록부 must be kept under 시행규칙 제15조.5
Hospitals choose when to be surveyed, and apply at least two months before the survey starts.
요양병원 must apply under 의료법 제58조의4 제2항, and reapply within 90 days of a conditional grade or a refusal.
Designation as a 상급종합병원, 전문병원 or training hospital requires certification.
Using the mark after it expires, or claiming certification without it, carries up to 1 year in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won.
What has changed for Korean clinics and hospitals?
Four things to know in October 2026, each marked as in force or starting.
In force. 급성기병원 인증기준 version 5.0 applies to surveys of 상급종합병원, 종합병원 and 병원 from 1 September 2026, whatever cycle the hospital is in.
Starting November 2026. The 의료기관 기본 인증 applies to 병원급 institutions that apply for certification, except 요양병원 and 상급종합병원, from surveys in November 2026.6
Starting 1 January 2027. KOIHA consulting for the 기본 인증, in three types, for institutions that plan to apply.
In force since 11 September 2026. The amended 개인정보 보호법, under which a clinic also tells patients when a leak of their data is likely, not only once it has happened.
A 의원 and a hospital side by side
The same law, two routes, set by 의료법 제33조 and 제58조.7
의원 (clinic)
병원급 (hospital)
Who sees mainly
Outpatients, under 의료법 제3조
Inpatients, with at least 30 beds for a 병원
How it opens
Report (신고) to the 시장, 군수 or 구청장
Permit (허가) from the 시도지사, after the 의료기관개설위원회
What it receives
A 개설신고증명서
A 개설허가증
KOIHA 인증
Open to a 의원 registered for foreign patients
Voluntary, required for 요양병원 and for designations
Foreign patient accreditation
Applies directly, a 2 day survey
Only once it holds 인증, a 1 day survey
Records
의료법 제22조 and 제23조, 시행규칙 제15조
The same, and 의료정보/의무기록 관리 in the 인증기준
The Korean names
The official names behind this page, as clinics search for them.
의료기관평가인증원, the Korea Institute for Healthcare Accreditation, KOIHA.
의료기관 인증, KOIHA certification of a medical institution.
의원 개설 신고, the report that opens a clinic.
진료기록부, the medical record a doctor writes and signs.
전자의무기록, the electronic medical record, and 접속기록, its access log.
개인정보보호위원회, the Personal Information Protection Commission.
외국인환자 유치의료기관 평가인증, the foreign patient accreditation.
What should clinic software in Korea run?
Each module runs part of the clinic and records the evidence for the areas listed beside it.
01
Appointments and booking
Online booking from your own website, every clinician's diary read from their calendar, reminders, rebooking after a missed visit and waitlist offers when a slot opens.
Online booking at any hour, with a reminder before the visit.
For the business
Fewer missed appointments, and cancelled slots offered to the waitlist.
On the record
Every booking, reminder and change, with a time and a name.
02
Billing and payments
Card payments into your own Stripe account, the cancellation policy shown at booking, invoices, statements and reconciliation, with an export for your accountant.
A clear price and policy before they commit, and an invoice in their app.
For the business
Payments reconciled against visits, with an export for your accountant.
On the record
What was charged, when, against which visit, and the policy the patient saw.
03
AI scribe and clinical notes
The note, letters and referrals written from the consultation, cited to published clinical guidelines, with the transcript beside the note, for the clinician to read, edit and sign.
The clinician's attention stays on them during the consultation.
For the business
Less time spent writing notes after clinic.
On the record
A contemporaneous note, signed, with the time, the signature and the source it cites.
04
Follow-ups and patient messaging
WhatsApp, email and calls in one thread per patient, replies drafted in the patient's own language for your team to approve, a response clock on every new enquiry, and recalls a clinician approves.
A reply in the language they wrote in, approved by your team.
For the business
More enquiries answered within the hour, when they are most likely to book.
On the record
The whole conversation on one record, with response times.
05
Referrals, consent and audit trails
Recording consent taken at booking, referrals written from the visit, patient flags for controlled drugs and safeguarding notes, and every read of a record logged against a named account.
What is the best clinic software for KOIHA certification and the 의료법?
The best software for a Korean clinic is the system it already runs on, so the evidence is kept as the work is done. Look for a record that shows the author and time of every entry, notes signed by the doctor, a log of every amendment, separate consent for health information, messaging in Korean and the languages your patients write in, and named accounts with role-based access. wai is built that way, to help you achieve KOIHA certification.
Is there KOIHA approved clinic software?
The Ministry of Health and Welfare, through KOIHA, certifies medical institutions. It does not approve, certify or endorse software, wai included, and software cannot earn a certification on a provider's behalf. wai keeps the records your team uses to show KOIHA how care is delivered, and KOIHA decides the certification.
Does a 의원 need KOIHA certification?
No. Certification is voluntary for hospitals and required only of 요양병원. A 의원 registered under the 의료해외진출법 to attract foreign patients may apply for it, and may apply for the foreign patient accreditation KOIHA surveys.
How long must a Korean clinic keep medical records?
Under 의료법 시행규칙 제15조, the 진료기록부 and surgical records 10 years, the 환자 명부, test results, radiology and nursing records 5 years, copies of medical certificates 3 years and prescriptions 2 years. The period may be extended once where continuing care needs it.
Can AI write notes in a Korean clinic?
The 의료법 asks that the doctor records the care and signs it, and that every amendment to an electronic record is logged. A note drafted by AI meets that when the doctor reviews it, edits it and signs it, every change stays in the log, and the patient has given the consent PIPA requires.
Where does wai keep our records?
In each clinic's own country, under that country's rules, encrypted, with a full audit log. We set this up with you before go-live.
Fifteen minutes on video, in English or Korean, on your own clinic's records. Built to help you achieve KOIHA certification. wai hosts each clinic's records in its own country, under that country's rules. We set this up with you before go-live.
