60 Additional Medical Institutions Designated for Pilot Project by Ministry of Health and Welfare
Long-term Care Home Medical Centers to Expand Nationwide
Enhanced Access to In-home Medical and Care Services for the Elderly
The number of "long-term care home medical centers," where elderly individuals with mobility difficulties can access both essential medical services and community care services at home without visiting a hospital, will increase to 195 nationwide.
An elderly person in their 80s living in Buk-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, has been receiving long-term care home medical services from healthcare professionals since October last year. Photo by Kang Jinhyung
The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on July 6 that it has designated an additional 60 medical institutions as long-term care home medical centers through an open call for participants in the pilot project.
A long-term care home medical center is a medical institution where a team consisting of a doctor, nurse, and social worker visits the homes of long-term care insurance beneficiaries, develops a treatment plan that comprehensively considers their health status, living environment, and treatment needs, and then provides medical services. The center also connects patients to necessary community resources such as housing, nutrition, and care. Doctors visit once a month, and nurses visit at least twice a month. Through this service, elderly individuals with mobility difficulties can receive the medical care they need at home without having to be admitted to a care facility or a long-term care hospital. Regular education and counseling are also provided to patients or caregivers to improve disease management and health management abilities, particularly for those who are bedridden or have chronic illnesses.
The long-term care home medical center program began in December 2022 with a total of 28 centers. Currently, 135 centers are in operation, and with this latest expansion, the number will increase to 195 in just two and a half years.
The number of local governments with a long-term care home medical center has also expanded to 113 cities, counties, and districts. In particular, four local public hospitals in areas that previously did not have such centers?Seo-gu in Daegu, Gangneung-si and Yeongwol-gun in Gangwon Province, and Seosan-si in South Chungcheong Province?have been newly designated through this selection process. As a result, the total number of local public hospitals designated as long-term care home medical centers has increased to 17.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare expects that with increased participation from local public hospitals, more appropriate home medical services can be provided within the community for severe patients who are difficult to manage at the clinic level. The ministry also anticipates that utilizing in-house specialized medical personnel will help meet the diverse needs of patients.
Lim Eulki, Director of Elderly Policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated, "To expand the infrastructure connecting medical and care services in the community in line with the implementation of the Integrated Care Support Act next year, we will continue to increase the number of participating regions and medical institutions in the long-term care home medical center program. We will also strengthen our efforts to ensure that elderly individuals in need of care can access medical and care services where they live."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
