<
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2026/jul/18/black-american-women-south-korea-healthcare>
"For years, Americans have crossed borders in search of affordable healthcare,
whether it be for dental work in Mexico, prescription drugs in Canada, or hair
transplants in Turkey. But a new destination in medical tourism is gaining
momentum among Black American women, who are increasingly booking flights to
Seoul, South Korea, for something else: care that feels inclusive.
South Korea holds a reputation as the global capital of cosmetic dermatology
and plastic surgery. But many visitors are discovering comprehensive preventive
medicine, extensive diagnostic testing and appointments that are more
affordable and easier to access than in the United States. “Our clients have
told us they want to know what’s actually going on in their body,” says William
Ban, the co-founder and COO of Himedi, a preventive health platform that
connects American clients with comprehensive diagnostic screening in South
Korea. “They arrive in Korea and access a level of diagnostic thoroughness with
same-day imaging, comprehensive panels and specialist review that would take
months and significant out-of-pocket cost to assemble in the US, if they could
access it at all.”
According to Ban, requests from Black American women have risen significantly
over the past several years, particularly for comprehensive health check-ups.
“It’s a pattern worth paying attention to. The interest we see isn’t primarily
cosmetic; it’s diagnostic. Clients want comprehensive panels like
gynaecological, thyroid and cardiovascular screenings. The procedures that come
up most often track closely with the health conditions where Black women in the
US face the steepest disparities and the most documented gaps in clinical
attention.”
It checks out. Black American women face disproportionately high rates of
cardiovascular disease – the leading cause of death among the group – and have
the highest prevalence of hypertension in the world, yet studies have found
they are more likely to experience delays in diagnosis and treatment. Black
women are also more likely to experience delayed diagnosis or delayed treatment
for gynaecological disorders such as endometriosis, fibroids and breast cancer,
driven by a combination of structural inequities, implicit bias and differences
in access to timely diagnostic testing. Against that backdrop, preventive care
in the form of one-day health examinations, where cardiovascular imaging,
thyroid ultrasounds, gynaecological screenings, bloodwork and specialist
consultations are often bundled into a single visit, offers Black women
convenience, as well as an opportunity to have their concerns investigated
comprehensively."
Via Susan ****
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
