Damyang County Establishes 'Hyangchon Welfare' as Model for Filial Administration

Elderly Hospital Companion Service Expanded to Gwangju
Home Medical Center and Our Village Primary Doctor Programs
Raising Satisfaction with "Visiting Medical Services"

Byungno Lee, Damyang County Governor, is greeting residents at the opening ceremony of the Hyangchon Senior Welfare Center last year. Provided by Damyang County

Damyang County in Jeonnam is elevating the completeness of its core welfare pledge, the Damyang-style welfare model "Hyangchonbokji," which is now being recognized as the nation's leading welfare policy.

According to the county on the 23rd, key initiatives of Damyang's welfare model "Hyangchonbokji," such as the Hospital Companion Service for the Elderly with Mobility Difficulties, Post-Discharge Patient Care, and Our Village Primary Doctor Program, are greatly contributing to improving the quality of life for seniors.

The integrated care service for hospital companions and post-discharge patients, promoted as the first project of the Hometown Love Fund, is gaining high satisfaction and establishing itself as a representative welfare model. Last year's satisfaction survey found that 95% of users and guardians were satisfied. In 2023, 472 people used the hospital companion service, and 92 cases of post-discharge patient care were recorded.

To enhance medical accessibility for local seniors and relieve the burden of care on families, the county expanded the service area to Gwangju this year. The service now covers all medical institutions in Gwangju and can be used up to twice a month for round trips.

The fee is 5,000 won for three hours within the county, and it is free for recipients of basic livelihood security and the near-poor. For those outside the county, the basic fee for three hours is 20,000 won for general seniors, with an additional 10,000 won for every 30 minutes. For recipients and the near-poor, the basic fee is 10,000 won with no additional charges. Seniors or guardians wishing to use the hospital companion service must apply through their local township office at least seven days before the desired date.

A county official stated, "The hospital companion service is significant as it provides practical medical accessibility for seniors with mobility difficulties while also reducing the burden on families. By expanding the service area to Gwangju, we expect to benefit even more county residents."

The visiting medical and care services, consisting of the Long-term Care Home Medical Center, the Visiting Community Health Keeper Program, and the Our Village Primary Doctor Program, have become a core part of Hyangchonbokji, enabling seniors to receive necessary medical and care services while living in their communities.

The home medical team, composed of doctors, nurses, and social workers, provides at least one monthly home visit by a doctor, at least two monthly visits by a nurse, and regular counseling by a social worker to connect long-term care recipients with necessary services. Last year, 286 people received 985 services, generating 42,466,640 won in non-tax revenue.

The "Our Village Primary Doctor" program provided professional health checkups to 494 residents in 272 villages last year. This program targets residents in villages with poor medical accessibility who have difficulty visiting hospitals, with public health doctors and local health office staff visiting homes to check on residents' health.

The "Visiting Community Health Keeper" program sends doctors, Korean medicine doctors, visiting nurses, and health staff to each village senior center four times a week to provide medical consultations, basic health checks, and health service programs all at once. This plays a significant role in managing the health of residents in medically underserved areas and has received a very positive response from the community.

County Governor Lee Byungno emphasized, "It is most important to resolve medical blind spots so that seniors can spend their later years in good health in their hometown. We will do our best to ensure that seniors always feel cared for through our policies."