Iksan City Launches Integrated Care Public-Private Task Force

A Total of Seven Departments and Organizations, Including the Welfare Policy Division, Participate

On May 30, Iksan City in North Jeolla Province held the first meeting of the "Iksan-type Integrated Care Public-Private Task Force (TF)" and officially began preparations for the integrated care pilot project.

Iksan City held the first meeting of the "Iksan-type Integrated Care Public-Private Task Force (TF)" on the 30th and officially began preparations for the integrated care pilot project. Photo by Iksan City

According to the city, the meeting served as the official launch of the task force and focused on establishing a practical public-private cooperation system. Participants discussed the direction of the pilot project, the roles of each department, and implementation strategies.

The task force is led by the Deputy Mayor of Iksan, with the Director of the Welfare and Education Bureau serving as deputy leader. The task force includes a total of seven departments and organizations: the Senior and Disabled Persons Division, Welfare Policy Division, Health Support Division, Health Projects Division, Housing Division, the Iksan branch of the National Health Insurance Service, and the Iksan RISE Project Task Force.

Previously, the city was selected for the "Regional Integrated Care Pilot Project" organized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and will operate the pilot project in earnest from this month until March next year. Through this initiative, the city aims not only to improve the quality of life for the elderly and care-vulnerable groups, but also to reduce the care burden on families.

This pilot project is being pursued as a proactive response to the government's "Act on Integrated Support for Regional Care Including Medical and Nursing Care" (hereinafter referred to as the Integrated Care Support Act).

The Integrated Care Support Act, enacted in March last year and scheduled to take effect in March next year, serves as the legal basis for the national integrated care policy. Its core is to provide previously fragmented services such as medical care, nursing care, and welfare in an integrated manner at the local level.

The project especially focuses on providing care services centered on residential areas, enabling vulnerable groups such as the elderly to maintain stable lives in familiar surroundings. To ensure the stability of the project, the city plans to establish a dedicated integrated care organization (at the division level) through a restructuring in July.

Mayor Jung Heon-yul stated, "It is important to develop an Iksan-type model tailored to local conditions as soon as possible in line with the government's integrated care policy," adding, "Through joint preparations between the public and private sectors, we will build a sustainable integrated care foundation that citizens can truly experience in their daily lives."