Jongno-gu Operates 5 Regional Health Care Centers

[Seoul District News] Jongno-gu Launches 'Health-i-rang Service' for Dementia, Metabolic, and Home Medical Care & Approximately 80 Specialists Deployed to Provide Personalized Services for Dementia, Mental Health, and Metabolism · Visit Frequency Set by Risk Group ... Eunpyeong-gu's AiMom Taxi Wins '2022 Mutual Respect Good Management Award' ... Songpa-gu Expands Underground Flood Prevention to Apartment Complexes

A scene of conducting physical measurements at the Health Care Center in District 5

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Jongno-gu (District Mayor Jeong Mun-heon) has attracted attention by starting the 'Health-Irang Service,' which promotes regional health care by zone, following the reorganization of the public health center system under the 8th elected administration to develop region-specific health services.

Previously, the district divided the area into five zones considering the characteristics of each neighborhood, health statistics, and living areas, and operates ▲Zone 1 Health Care Center (Jahamun-ro 19-gil 36) ▲Zone 2 Health Care Center (Pyeongchang Munhwa-ro 48) ▲Zone 3 Health Care Center (Yulgok-ro 89) ▲Zone 4 Health Care Center (Sungkyunkwan-ro 1-gil 6-3) ▲Zone 5 Health Care Center (Jibong-ro 5-gil 7-5).

Until now, users had to visit multiple facilities individually for checkups or consultations, but now they can receive various integrated services at one nearby zone center.

The Health-Irang Service, launched last month, focuses on personalized care by specialized medical staff in areas such as ‘dementia,’ ‘mental health,’ ‘metabolism,’ ‘nutrition,’ ‘exercise,’ and ‘home visits.’ About 80 professionals, including doctors, nurses, exercise therapists, and nutritionists, are assigned to each center and work full-time.

Any resident aged 65 or older living in a one- or two-person household can visit the health care center in their zone and apply for the Health-Irang Service.

Afterward, the center conducts basic tests such as blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and a lifestyle questionnaire to assess individual health status and needs, then begins personalized health management to address individual issues and risk factors.

For example, if classified as a pain management target, the service links to oriental medicine and physical therapy, provides regular in-center medical services for those who can move independently, and offers home or mobile medical services for those with mobility difficulties. If oral care is needed, it connects not only to public health center dental checkups but also to dental hygienist scaling and proper tooth brushing education.

Additionally, based on the survey results, individuals are categorized into ‘intensive care,’ ‘high risk,’ ‘risk group,’ and ‘preventive care’ groups, with visit cycles set accordingly. Preventive care groups are visited once a year, risk groups once quarterly, high-risk groups once every two months, and intensive care groups twice a month or visit the center.

District Mayor Jeong Mun-heon stated, “We plan to firmly support residents so they can maintain their physical and mental health by receiving Health-Irang Services at the zonal health care centers,” adding, “We will focus on protecting residents’ health through personalized care and minimizing care gaps.”

Eunpyeong-gu (District Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) announced that it received the ‘Good Policy Award’ at the ‘2022 Mutual Respect Good Management Awards’ for its ‘I-Mom Taxi’ project for pregnant women and families with infants and young children.

The ‘Mutual Respect Good Management Awards’ is an event that selects institutions contributing to social development and harmony among members through policies. It is sponsored by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, among others.

‘I-Mom Taxi,’ the first nationwide project initiated by Eunpyeong-gu as a low birthrate countermeasure, is a transportation service for pregnant women and families with infants and young children. Parents can use a dedicated app to travel to and from hospitals a certain number of times free of charge.

The dedicated taxis are large vehicles equipped to carry strollers and have car seats installed, with dedicated drivers assisting with boarding and alighting. Hand sanitizers and in-vehicle air purifiers are provided, and the vehicle interiors are disinfected daily to prevent infections such as COVID-19. Since the taxis come to the doorstep and wait upon reservation via the dedicated app, satisfaction among pregnant women and parents of young children is high.

A satisfaction survey conducted in July showed a 94.6% satisfaction rate. The service has received positive reviews for comfortable vehicle conditions, high driver friendliness, and safe driving, maintaining over 90% satisfaction for three consecutive years.

Next year, a companion support service called ‘Chinjeong Mom Service’ will be added, providing warm accompaniment like a mother’s care when I-Mom Taxi users visit hospitals. Additionally, after 2 p.m., the destinations for I-Mom Taxi will be expanded to include local daycare centers, libraries, and cultural centers.

Meanwhile, this year’s ‘Mutual Respect Good Management Awards’ ceremony will not be held separately; plaques will be delivered individually to each award-winning institution.

Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, said, “It seems that our efforts to make Eunpyeong a happy place to have and raise children have been well recognized. We will continue to improve by resolving user inconveniences and enhancing transportation convenience,” adding, “We hope the project expands nationwide and helps increase the birthrate.”

Songpa-gu (District Mayor Seo Gang-seok) will conduct an inspection of flood damage prevention measures targeting apartment complexes in the district from December 5 this year to March 31 next year.

The district has been continuously promoting flood prevention facility installation projects focusing on flood-prone areas such as low-lying underground houses and small-scale commercial areas.

Going forward, to proactively respond to disasters caused by heavy rain, the scope will be expanded to include apartment complexes, and a dedicated inspection team will conduct a full on-site survey of 149 apartment complexes with 30 or more households that have underground parking lots.

The main inspection items cover four areas and nine items: ▲entry facilities ▲drainage facilities ▲evacuation facilities ▲safety management plans, carefully checking flood barriers installation, sandbag availability, drainage pump installation, and emergency lighting management.

Minor or immediately correctable issues will be fixed on-site, and issues requiring repair or improvement will be monitored with deadlines for compliance.

Additionally, based on the inspection results, the district will support the installation of flood prevention barriers in underground parking lots of some complexes to minimize casualties and property damage during heavy rains.

Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, said, “Flood damage caused by recent climate change is worsening, making the importance of disaster prevention greater,” adding, “We will devote all efforts to flood damage prevention and residents’ safety through continuous inspections and thorough preparation.”