Dr. Kwang Tae Kim is President of the International Hospital Federation (IHF), an independent, non-profit, non-governmental body for hospitals and healthcare organisations. He is a general surgeon who graduated from Catholic University of Korea’s College of Medicine in Seoul, Korea.
Dr. Kim is the Past President of the Korean Hospital Association, serving in that role from 2002 to 2004 and continuing as an honorary president. As a former president and current chairman of Daerim St. Mary’s Hospital in Seoul, Dr. Kim continues to oversee the 405-bed regional general hospital which was established in 1969.
From 2007 to 2009, he was President of the Asian Hospital Federation.
Dr. Kim’s involvement with the IHF dates back several years. From 2003 to 2005 he was a Governing Council Member. In November 2007, the IHF held its Congress in Seoul, and Dr. Kim was Chairman of the Organising Committee.
Upon his appointment as IHF President, Dr. Kim appealed to federation members by proposing “a bigger, stronger and financially sustainable IHF.”
The IHF is the global association of healthcare organisations, representing hospital associations and representative groups. Its mission is to improve the health of societies by facilitating service delivery to populations, regardless of a population’s ability to pay. The IHF succeeded the International Hospital Association, established in 1929.
Beyond his professional roles, Dr. Kim is active in the community. He participates in Rotary services, holding leadership positions such as membership in Rotary International’s Board of Directors from 2005 to 2007. He has also organised medical services for people who need healthcare, both in Korea and abroad.
Dr. Kim has been recognised many times for his services by Korean government officials, including the the country’s President, Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Seoul’s Mayor.
He was a keynote speaker at the Medical Korea 2013 congress, a global healthcare and medical tourism conference which was held in Seoul in April 2013. The topic of his speech was “Global Healthcare Cooperation for the Better World”.
References: International Hospital Federation, World Hospital Congress
Image Credit: World Hospital Congress
