Explore the management philosophy and secrets to the success of Seoul Clinical Laboratories (SCL), a pioneer in laboratory medicine committed to enhancing healthy and happy lives with cutting-edge technology.

Who will lead ‘K-Medical’ which has captured global attention in the post-pandemic world?

As the spotlight turns to ‘K-Medical’ following the pandemic, SCL Healthcare emerges as a key player in the vital field of laboratory medicine. SCL champions ‘Evidence Based Medicine (EBM)’, a practice that integrates objective scientific evidence with clinical experience to improve patient treatment. The company specializes in ‘specimen testing,’ a crucial component for accurate diagnosis and preventive medicine grounded in EBM principles.

This book documents the challenges and achievements SCL has faced over the past 40 years from its humble beginnings of manually transporting and handling specimens to becoming a leader known for its precision and speed. It sheds light on the growth factors that transformed SCL into a comprehensive healthcare group, paving a vision for the future of our healthcare industry.

SCL헬스케어 회장, 진단검사의학과 전문의.
연세대학교 의과대학과 동 대학원을 졸업하였다. 의과대학 시절 ‘환자 치료 시 반드시 객관적·과학적 근거와 의사의 경험이 통합되어야 한다’는 근거중심의학(EBM)에 비전을 걸었다. 연세대학교 의과대학 진단검사의학과 교수로 재직하면서 벤처기업을 운영하였고 (주)범양사 창립자인 아버지와 미국에서 병리학을 전공한 큰아버지가 설립한 임상병리수탁검사기관 서울의과학연구소(SCL)의 경영을 도왔다. SCL 제2대 이사장으로 취임하면서 본격적인 기업가의 길을 걸었다. 모든 열정을 쏟아부은 결과 SCL을 세계적인 수준의 검체분석 및 연구 역량을 갖춘 검사 전문기관으로 키워 냈으며, 2010년에는 (주)SCL헬스케어를 설립하고 명확한 데이터 기반의 개인맞춤형 정밀의료 및 디지털 헬스케어 플랫폼 등을 제공하는 종합 헬스케어 그룹으로 또 다른 도약을 진행하고 있다.
냉철한 의과학자이면서 따뜻한 박애주의자이다. 지역사회의 소외된 계층을 대상으로 건강증진사업, 생활용품 나눔, IT 교육사업 등을 진행하고 있으며, 해외 의료환경 개선과 재난발생지역에 구호물품/방역물품/의료약품을 지원하는 등 다양한 사회공헌활동을 활발하게 펼치고 있다.

- SCL헬스케어 회장, SCL(재단법인 서울의과학연구소) 총괄의료원장, (주)이노테라피 대표이사, 연세대학교 총동문회 회장, 연세대학교 의과대학 진단검사의학교실 외래교수, (사)지구촌보건복지재단 이사장
- 세계한인의사회 부회장, 한국에이즈퇴치 서울지회장, 대한의학유전학회 재무이사/감사 등 역임
- 보건복지부 장관상, 기획재정부 장관상, 보건복지위원장 표창, 북극성 훈장(몽골 대통령), 몽골의료개척자 훈장(몽골 보건부), 헬스산업발전 특별고문상(중국 저장성 이우시 정부) 등 수상

Chairman of SCL Group, specialist in laboratory medicine.

Lee Kyoung Ryul completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Yonsei University College of Medicine, where he embraced evidence-based medicine (EBM), advocating the integration of objective scientific evidence with clinical experience in treating patients. He later served as a professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine at Yonsei University College of Medicine while overseeing the Seoul Clinical Laboratories (SCL), a clinical pathology contract laboratory established by his father, the founder of Beomyang Corporation, and his uncle, a pathology specialist trained in the United States. His transition to full-time entrepreneurship as the second chairman of SCL propelled the company to achieve global acclaim for its specimen analysis and research capabilities.

In 2010, he established SCL Healthcare Co., Ltd., expanding SCL into a comprehensive healthcare group that offers personalized precision medicine and a digital healthcare platform.
Lee is a committed medical scientist and a compassionate philanthropist. He is actively involved in community support initiatives, including health promotion projects, sharing household goods, and IT education for the underprivileged. His global efforts also include improving medical conditions overseas and providing medical supplies and relief resources to disaster-affected regions.

-Chairman of SCL Group, Director of Seoul Clinical Laboratories(SCL) General Medical Center, CEO of SCL Science Co., Ltd., Chairman of the Yonsei University Alumni Association, and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine at Yonsei University College of Medicine.

-Former Vice President of the World Korean Medical Association, Former President of the Korea AIDS Eradication Seoul Branch, and Former Financial Director/Auditor of the Korean Society of Medical Genetics.

-Recipient of the ‘Health Equity Award’ from the New York Health Forum.

Words of Recommendations · 4
Introduction · 8

Chapter 1 A Road Not Taken by Others

FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS ABOUT HUMANITY · 19
SHOUTS ECHOED THROUGH THE ANATOMY LAB · 19
PRACTICING THE HEALING ART OF MEDICINE IN A DOCTORLESS VILLAGE · 24
THE CORNERSTONE OF DECISION-MAKING THAT SAVES LIVES · 28
DISCOVER OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND A SMALL GAP · 36
AN EXAMINATION ROOM THAT STAYS BRIGHT 24 HOURS A DAY · 40
THE DAYS WHEN HE KEPT RUNNING FORWARD SOLELY ON HIS
OWN TWO FEET · 40
THE MOMENT TO SPRINT · 44
DOES SCL STAND OUT FROM COMPETITORS? · 48
THE VALUE OF BEING THE ‘FIRST’ · 57
HOW DOES ONE COME UP WITH PIONEERING IDEAS? · 57
THE STRATEGY OF STRIKING FIRST TO DEFEAT THE COMPETITION · 62

Chapter 2 Like Iron Refined by Quenching and Tempering

THE CRUCIAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FIRST-CLASS AND THIRD-CLASS · 73
ET TU, BRUTE? · 73
LET THE DEAD PAST BURY ITS DEAD! · 77
IF YOU CAN SUSTAIN YET DISRUPTIVE · 86
THE LAST BASTION AGAINST HUMAN ERROR · 92
HUMANS MAKE MISTAKES, BUT HOW DO WE MITIGATE THEM? · 92
SOP COMPLEMENTS HUMAN LIMITATIONS · 97
FIGHTING PEOPLE’S PERCEPTIONS · 100
A MOMENT WHEN TRUST FROM MANAGEMENT IS ESSENTIAL · 104
WHEN ABRUPTLY CONFRONTED · 108
WHO RANG THE PHONE? · 108
INTEGRITY OVER PROFIT · 114
THE PRECARIOUS LINE BETWEEN PRIDE AND BURNOUT · 118

Chapter 3 The Key to Excellence

TOWARDS A NEW WORLD · 125
THE EASIEST WAY TO OPEN PEOPLE’S HEARTS · 125
IF YOU WANT TO GO FAR, GO TOGETHER · 128
A LEAP TOWARD A WIDER WORLD · 132
FOUR CONDITIONS FOR SUCCESSFUL OVERSEAS EXPANSION · 134
FAIL AND CHALLENGE · 140
DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TEST METHODS · 140
THE COURAGE TO FIND SUCCESS AFTER FAILURE · 145
A SENSE OF MISSION FOR SCIENTIFIC DATA · 151
TWO PHRASES THAT MADE RESEARCHERS NERVOUS · 151
THE CULPRIT THAT DISAPPEARED INTO THIN AIR · 155

Chapter 4 Diamonds Pulled Out of the Mud

OVERCOMING THE COVID-19 TSUNAMI · 163
THE SCARIEST WORDS IN THE WORLD · 163
PEOPLE WHO FOUGHT AGAINST THE GOD OF DEATH · 166
THE POWER TO PERSEVERE THROUGH PAINFUL TIMES · 173
TYPES OF PCR TEST RESULTS THAT TROUBLE PEOPLE · 176
A SENSE OF MISSION FOR LIFE · 179
ANTS CARRYING A MORTAR · 184
FROM BAD TO WORSE · 184
LEANING ON EACH OTHER · 189
PREPAREDNESS TO RESPOND TO INFECTIOUS DISEASES · 192
A PHONE CALL FROM FINLAND · 199
TRUST IN LONG-TERM EFFORTS · 199
FAST PROCESSING, ACCURATE RESULTS · 203

Chapter 5 The World of Dancing Stars

WHEN MANAGEMENT AND THE UNION JOIN HANDS · 211
“WE WON’T BE ABLE TO PAY TODAY.” · 211
HOW TO CREATE A FAMILY-LIKE COMPANY · 215
A COMPANY EVERYONE WANTS TO WORK FOR · 226
REASONS FOR HAVING MANY LONG-TERM EMPLOYEES · 226
MOTHER’S CANCER DISCOVERED THROUGH FAMILY CHECKUP · 229
WELFARE SYSTEM THAT BOOSTS WORK MORALE AND PROMOTES
COMPANY GROWTH · 233
HUMAN, ALL TOO HUMAN · 238
EACH AND EVERY PERSON IS IMPORTANT · 238
PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENT & EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION TRAINING
AIMED AT CATCHING TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE · 242
LIKE AN AFRICAN ELEPHANT LEADING ITS HERD · 244
CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY SUSTAINED FOR 40 YEARS · 249
WALKING GOOD STEPS FOR SIX MINUTES · 249
ENSURING NO ONE SUFFERS ALONE · 251
SCL’S MAJOR SOCIAL CONTRIBUTION ACTIVITIES (2021-2023) · 257
COMPANIES FULFILLING THEIR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES · 262