The Catholic University of Korea Successfully Concludes Healthcare Management Academic Seminar

The Graduate School of Healthcare Management and the Catholic Institute of Healthcare Management (Director: Professor Byung-Tae Park), in collaboration with the Institute for Medical Humanities and Social Medicine of the School of Medicine (Director: Fr. Pyung-Man Kim), successfully hosted the Healthcare Management Academic Seminar on Saturday, June 21, at the Grand Lecture Hall on the first floor of the Omnibus Park.

Under the theme "Organizational Culture: The Driving Force Behind Sustainable Growth," the seminar provided a meaningful forum to explore the role of organizational culture as a key engine for sustainable hospital management in an era of rapid changes in the medical environment. It also served as a platform for sharing real-world challenges faced by healthcare leaders in the field.

The event drew about 100 participants, including administrators and faculty from hospitals under the Catholic Medical Center, alumni of the Graduate School of Healthcare Management, and other attendees. The seminar was enriched by a series of high-quality lectures that integrated academic insight with practical field experience.

Before the official opening, Professor Byung-Tae Park delivered a welcoming address in which he emphasized the need for momentum toward sustainability amid drastic environmental changes. He stated that the seminar was organized to strengthen organizational culture and spirituality (values), and to enhance organizational capacity through desirable culture and leadership, especially in the context of healthcare reform initiatives.

In his congratulatory remarks, Dean Jung-Wan Koo of the Graduate School of Healthcare Management noted, “The healthcare environment is rapidly changing due to technological advances, demographic shifts, and policy reforms. In this era of crisis and transformation, organizational culture has come into the spotlight as a crucial determinant of sustainability in healthcare institutions. I hope this forum provides meaningful insights and practical answers.”

The seminar featured one keynote lecture and three in-depth sessions. Each speaker presented perspectives on the significance and direction of organizational culture based on their own experience and research in the healthcare field.

The keynote lecture was delivered by Jin-Hyuk Kim, CEO of Value Square, who addressed how organizational culture must function to ensure the sustainable growth of hospitals. He stressed the importance of an environment fostered by leadership and the internalization of shared values, noting that resilient organizations ultimately rely on trust and collaboration among their members.

The first in-depth session was led by Professor Byung-Tae Park, who highlighted the need for an organizational culture centered around “spirituality” connected to the identity of Catholic medical institutions. He emphasized that a spirituality-based culture enhances members’ sense of mission and community, enabling them to respond more proactively to the evolving healthcare environment.

The second lecture, delivered by Professor Sang-Don Kim of Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital, presented real hospital case studies illustrating the process of improving organizational culture. He vividly conveyed that the key to surviving in a crisis-ridden hospital environment lies in mutual trust, collaboration among staff, and continuous cultural improvement efforts.

Lastly, Vice President Se-Young Kim of Plexus Korea focused on the role of leaders in cultivating a strong organizational culture. He stressed the importance of “servant leadership,” which supports and nurtures team members. The message was clear: when leadership changes, so does the culture—and this transformation ultimately enhances overall hospital performance and patient satisfaction.

This seminar was praised as a high-caliber academic forum that organically connected healthcare management, the humanities, clinical realities, and organizational leadership. It was especially meaningful not merely as a theoretical presentation, but as a platform offering practical insights drawn from real-world experiences and long-term visions in healthcare.

The Catholic Institute of Healthcare Management plans to continue fostering academic inquiry and field-oriented discussions to support the sustainable operation of healthcare institutions. It is hoped that such academic events will serve as platforms of knowledge that help prepare healthcare institutions for the future.