Pilot Project for 'Dementia Care Primary Physicians' in 22 Regions Nationwide

From the 23rd, 143 Medical Institutions and 182 Doctors to Participate

The Ministry of Health and Welfare will implement the 'Dementia Care Primary Physician Pilot Project' starting from the 23rd, targeting outpatients diagnosed with dementia.

The Dementia Care Primary Physician Pilot Project is a program that provides medical services enabling dementia patients living in the community to receive systematic treatment and management not only for dementia but also for overall health issues from a dementia care primary physician.

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A dementia care primary physician is a neurologist or psychiatrist, or a doctor who has completed dementia specialist training organized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. They comprehensively assess the patient's condition, establish a customized comprehensive management plan for each patient, and provide regular face-to-face education and counseling, as well as non-face-to-face management (via phone or video calls) for dementia patients and their caregivers. For dementia patients with mobility difficulties, home visits are also possible, and the physician guides and connects patients to other medical and welfare services related to dementia.

Dementia patients who wish to use the pilot project can check the target areas and participating medical institutions on the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service or the Central Dementia Center websites, then visit and apply for the service. Even if the dementia patient does not reside in the target area of the pilot project, they can still apply and use the service. Patients can choose between the dementia specialist management service, which focuses on specialized treatment and management of dementia, and the integrated management service, which also provides management of chronic diseases and overall health issues.

The pilot project fee (health insurance medical care cost) is applied separately from the consultation fee, and dementia patients are responsible for 20% of the service cost. However, for patients with severe dementia, the co-payment rate is 10%, and for other eligible co-payment reduction recipients, the applicable co-payment rate will be charged.

In the first year of the pilot project starting on this day, 182 doctors will participate in 22 districts including Gangdong-gu and Nowon-gu in Seoul, Busanjin-gu in Busan, Dalseo-gu in Daegu, and Namdong-gu in Incheon. The Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to expand the scale in the second year and, based on the operational results, promote the formal introduction of the dementia primary care physician system.

Im Eum-gi, Director of Elderly Policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said, "Through the pilot project, we expect that dementia patients will be able to continuously receive professional and in-depth treatment and management not only for dementia but also for other health issues where they live."