With the world’s focus more than ever on the need for adequate healthcare, it is increasingly important to ask who has the expertise to be able to deliver medical infrastructure where it is needed. Thanks to many years of experience in organizing projects from transportation and IT to education and transmission of electric power, Samsung C&T Trading & Investment Group has become specialized in the hospital infrastructure business.
There are various aspects to this work, such as financing, construction, building a healthcare system, and overall operations. The Trading & Investment Group’s organizing skills mean it can connect an entire project so that its infrastructure can be built and operated safely.
This is all particularly useful when working with developing nations in need of infrastructure support. An example of the Trading & Investment Group’s work in this area can be found in last summer’s completion of the National Medical Center of Mongolia, including construction and the provision of high-tech medical equipment. This article will look more closely at the passion and expertise required to execute such projects.
What makes Samsung C&T competitive in the hospital project business?
Preparing and executing a hospital project calls for great organization, teamwork, know-how, hard work, and consistent determination – the process takes years from planning to opening a hospital, and the paperwork alone can be immense during that time.
The reason for all this paperwork is that there is a prolonged process from bidding for a project to signing a contract – it can take between five and eight years of effort just to agree and sign a contract, with eminent competitors standing in the way.
“There is a vast amount of paperwork to deal with as we prepare for the bumpy ride from bidding to finalizing a contract. All the relevant documents we need to verify can easily fill an entire room! We comb through them to make sure we don’t leave in a single typo before bidding,” reveals Professional Branden Kim.
Then come the meetings. After winning a contract, there are usually many client discussions in person and via message before construction can get underway.
All these meetings mean Samsung C&T Trading & Investment Group staff have to travel here and there frequently to draw up numerous agreements. They must meet the needs of all the related parties involved in an overseas hospital project, including the client, constructor, medical equipment suppliers, IT company, and Export-Import Bank.
“If we communicate well and with sincerity, it will have a positive impact both now and for future projects. It is important to have a strong understanding of the situation and contractual relationships, otherwise it is very easy to create disagreements among parties with complicated interests,” insists Senior Professional Kyungkeun Scott Yu. “I have learned the importance of showing mutual understanding and consideration, as well as emphasizing the bigger picture of building a hospital.”
Overcoming crises that a hospital project can present
Organizing a hospital project demands more expertise than any other construction job. This is partly due to the need to meet the requirements of so many related parties, which requires specialized handling. For example, Trading & Investment Group staff may have to continually keep the balance between a client who might want to finish a project as fast as possible versus a builder’s requirements and the additional high standards of medical equipment suppliers. Hospital projects also demand specific capabilities involving aspects like medical equipment installation, hospital staff education, and general operations.
Experience means the Trading & Investment Group is aware that every hospital project will present obstacles to be overcome. From the outset, project leaders need to have a vision of how the hospital will turn out. But just walking around a construction site requires a reasonable level of physical fitness – and some reliance on the local weather!
The weather can create major problems. Heavy rain affects travel and other logistics, while project staff need to think on their feet when unexpected situations occur.
“A difficult environment does not have to become impossible, but unpredictable things happen continually in the field,” explains Senior Professional Wonhwan An. “If you don’t respond systematically and quickly you may cause further damage due to a seemingly trivial mistake. So, you need to be flexible and able to consider several variables at the same time. It requires sufficient field experience.”
Organizing hospitals where they are most needed
Ultimately, the satisfaction of successfully completing a hospital project makes up for any hardships along the way, especially when it means a local community can benefit from healthcare infrastructure that had been lacking.
In addition to Mongolia, developing healthcare in Central Asia has been seen by the World Health Organization as a vital investment, while travelers are warned healthcare in the region is basic at best.
The good news is that well-organized projects are underway to change this situation and improve healthcare infrastructure in Central Asia and beyond, which makes the unveiling of brand-new facilities a cause to celebrate for all concerned.
“I have been deeply moved when I witness our efforts bear fruit after so many years of hard work, and it makes me realize that something extraordinary has happened when I see the joyful faces of doctors and other members of local communities,” says Principal Professional Sean Ryu. “Our company is supplying advanced medical technology and infrastructure where it was previously lacking.”
With a global network to draw on, the Trading & Investment Group is able to emphasize its competitiveness – and this places the company in a stronger position when inevitable challenges arise in the hospital infrastructure business. Indeed, this is true of all the various projects that it successfully organizes around the world.
