[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Shin Dong-ho] Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City (Mayor Kim I-gang) is drawing attention by starting a 'Hospital Accompaniment Service' that provides one-stop support from home to hospital visits for elderly people who have difficulty visiting hospitals alone.
According to Seo-gu on the 29th, the 'Hospital Accompaniment Service' was promoted as part of the community integrated care pilot project to prevent the health of elderly people with mobility difficulties from worsening due to inability to receive hospital treatment.
The service targets elderly residents aged 65 or older living in Seo-gu. After a care assessment, selected individuals receive hospital accompaniment vouchers twice a month, allowing them to use the service from hospitals in the Gwangju area to Hwasun Jeonbuk National University Hospital with a co-payment of 2,000 KRW.
To this end, Seo-gu signed an MOU with Gwangju Bitgoeul Call Taxi on January 3rd and conducted safety training for taxi drivers participating in the project.
When taxi drivers receive calls from elderly clients, they immediately dispatch to their homes, accompany them to the hospital, and provide one-stop support throughout the entire process including consultation, payment, prescription, and return home, acting like a guardian.
Elderly people who do not participate in the 'Hospital Accompaniment Service' project and do not have vouchers can also receive emergency accompaniment services by contacting the 24-hour Safety Call if they urgently need hospital treatment.
Elderly people wishing to receive support can inquire at their local community welfare center or the Seo-gu Office Smart Integrated Care Department for detailed guidance.
Kim I-gang, Mayor of Seo-gu, said, "We expect the Hospital Accompaniment Service to be of great help to elderly people with mobility difficulties," and added, "We will continue to expand care services so that they can feel safe even in urgent situations."
Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Shin Dong-ho baekok@asiae.co.kr
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