Chairperson’s Greetings
Welcome to the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Center at Gangnam Severance Hospital.
Although pulmonary rehabilitation therapy has been introduced in Korea for nearly 20 years, it is still not well-known, resulting in many patients suffering without receiving appropriate treatment at the right time. Pulmonary rehabilitation therapy is essential for patients with various respiratory disorders caused by impaired respiratory muscles, such as rare neuromuscular diseases like ALS, spinal muscular atrophy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, patients with spinal cord injuries caused by falls or traffic accidents, and patients with cervical spinal cord injuries.
Just as using a cane or wheelchair becomes necessary for walking when leg muscles weaken, providing appropriate assistance with artificial respiration according to the degree of respiratory muscle weakness can improve symptoms and alleviate various complications caused by respiratory disorders. A shift in mindset is needed to consider artificial respiration as a supportive device that reduces the inconvenience of daily life. In other words, pulmonary rehabilitation is a field of rehabilitation medicine that helps alleviate and control respiratory symptoms and minimize complications resulting from respiratory disorders through comprehensive rehabilitation therapy, including non-invasive application of artificial respiration and various techniques and devices. Through pulmonary rehabilitation therapy, patients can perform optimal functions in their daily lives, maintain social interactions, and ultimately improve their quality of life.
The Korean Society of Pulmonary Rehabilitation was established in July 2011 with the goal of continuously advancing and researching pulmonary rehabilitation, training pulmonary rehabilitation specialists, and promoting a more systematic treatment approach to provide appropriate pulmonary rehabilitation methods to the entire population.
Established in 2008, our center provides medical services related to pulmonary rehabilitation. A team of various medical professionals, including rehabilitation medicine, neurology, orthopedic surgery, pediatric and adolescent medicine, gastroenterology, and radiology, work together to provide accurate diagnoses and treatments. We also collaborate with social work departments to carry out various patient support programs. Information and opportunities for receiving treatment for respiratory disorders are still very limited.
Gangnam Severance Hospital’s Pulmonary Rehabilitation Center specializes in providing differentiated services to patients with respiratory disorders in such circumstances. As a place of hope, we will provide optimal treatment to our patients.
Thank you.
Seong-Woong Kang
Director, Pulmonary Rehabilitation Center, Gangnam Severance Hospital.
