Covidien, a global provider of healthcare products, has opened the Covidien Center of Innovation Korea (CCI Korea), its first R&D and training and education center in Korea.

CCI Korea is a high-tech medical training center focused on raising awareness of various disease states and providing opportunities for advancing healthcare professionals' capabilities, by creating access to a full range of Covidien's medical devices. The investment total was $21 million over a three-year period.

"There is an increased expectation and focus on medical technology to help improve patient outcomes," said Peter Kim, managing director, Korea, for Covidien. "With the opening, Covidien can further advance healthcare professional capabilities and enhance collaboration activities between R&D professionals, academic institutions and healthcare professionals to create access to improved standards of care."

Earlier this year, Covidien signed two memorandums of understanding with the Korean Surgical Society and the Korean Society for Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery. All healthcare professionals affiliated with these two societies will experience CCI Korea as part of their mandatory certification programs. Covidien will continue to collaborate with Korean medical societies for training programs and new product development at CCI Korea, with a focus on promoting national health and advancing medical technology in the country.