Busan Gijang-gun Signs Treatment Coordination Agreement with Local Clinics and Psychiatric Medical Institutions

Busan Gijang-gun Public Health Center has signed a business agreement with five local clinics as part of the ‘Pilot Project for Treatment Linkage between Local Clinics and Mental Health Institutions’.

The ‘Pilot Project for Treatment Linkage between Local Clinics and Mental Health Institutions’ is a program that connects patients identified as being at risk for mental health issues at non-psychiatric primary care local clinics to regional mental health institutions or the Gijang-gun Public Health Center Mental Health Welfare Center. The project runs from March 2022 to March 2024.

Since 2022, 16 local clinics in the area have been participating in the pilot project, and on the 24th and 25th of last month, additional agreements were signed with five clinics: Dongbusan Orthopedic Clinic, Ok Internal Medicine Clinic, Lee Jaegwan Internal Medicine Clinic, Jung Wontak Internal Medicine Clinic, and Choi Jeongsuk Internal Medicine Clinic.

With this agreement, a total of 21 clinics are conducting counseling and linkage services to promote mental health. The list of participating clinics can be found on the ‘Local Clinics Mental Health Institution Treatment Linkage Project’ website.

Officials from Gijang-gun Public Health Center and Dongbusan Orthopedic Clinic are taking a commemorative photo after signing an agreement.

Choi Byeongmu, Director of Gijang-gun Public Health Center, stated, “We actively promoted the project to local clinics and proceeded with additional agreements with medical institutions,” adding, “We will continue to strive to promote mental health by identifying and linking high-risk mental health patients visiting non-psychiatric clinics.”

Since 2018, Gijang-gun Public Health Center has been operating the Mental Health Welfare Center in consignment with Haeundae Paik Hospital and is promoting various health promotion projects such as severe case management for the welfare of local mental health patients, and screening, counseling, campaigns, and education for the prevention and early intervention of mental health issues among Gijang-gun residents.

Additionally, the Gijang-gun Mental Health Welfare Center is a mental health specialized institution designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and is available free of charge to any Gijang-gun resident experiencing difficulties due to mental health problems.