Mayor Kim Donggeun: "Leading the Way in Establishing the Uijeongbu-Style Integrated Medical and Care Model for a Happy Senior Life"

Uijeongbu's Senior Population Surpasses 90,000... Super-Aged Society Approaching by Year-End
Building a Local Care Ecosystem through "Integrated Medical and Care Support"
Step-by-Step Support: From Application to Expert Meetings, Customized Services, and Monitoring
Systematic Foundation: New Teams, Resource Surveys, Staff Training, and Ordinance Enactment

Uijeongbu City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Kim Donggeun) will officially launch the "Integrated Medical and Care Support Pilot Project" starting in September. This initiative is part of the government's regional integrated care policy, for which the city has been reorganizing its structure, building a cooperation network, and conducting resource surveys.

Uijeongbu City Launches Pilot Project for Integrated Medical Care Support (Education). Provided by Uijeongbu City

According to Uijeongbu City on September 2, the senior population in South Korea already surpassed 10 million last year, and as of the end of July, Uijeongbu itself had 90,594 seniors, accounting for 19.6% of its total population. With the city expected to enter a super-aged society by the end of the year, there is an urgent need to establish a new care system that allows seniors to live with dignity within the local community, rather than in hospitals or care facilities.

The goal of this pilot project is to help seniors aged 65 and older who have difficulty maintaining daily life to live healthily in their own homes, without having to rely on hospitals or facilities.

To achieve this, the National Health Insurance Service will conduct a comprehensive assessment of each individual's health, long-term care, and support needs. Based on these results, customized connections will be made to health and medical care, long-term care, daily living support, and housing support services. The main steps of the project are: application for integrated support, integrated assessment survey, integrated assessment meeting, service provision, and monitoring.

First, if the applicant or their guardian applies at the integrated support desk located in the local community center, the Uijeongbu branch of the National Health Insurance Service will conduct an integrated assessment survey to comprehensively evaluate the senior's health and care needs.

Uijeongbu City Launches Pilot Project for Integrated Medical Care Support (Health and Medical Meeting). Photo by Uijeongbu City

Next, in the integrated assessment meeting, experts in medical care, long-term care, and support services will gather to finalize a tailored support plan for each recipient, after which the necessary integrated support services will be provided. After services are delivered, monitoring will be conducted every three months through the integrated support desk to check satisfaction with the services.

In preparation for this pilot project, the city has gradually established administrative and institutional foundations. In the organizational restructuring last July, the city created the "Integrated Care Team" and held cooperation meetings with the National Health Insurance Service, medical institutions, the Medical Association, and the Korean Medicine Association to strengthen the foundation for health and medical service collaboration.

Additionally, from July 23 to August 1, the city conducted a comprehensive survey of local care resources to secure baseline data for project operations. On August 25-26, training on the information system and project operations was provided to staff in charge of the integrated support desk to enhance on-site implementation. Furthermore, to ensure the stable progress of the pilot project, the city is in the process of enacting an ordinance on integrated support for regional care, including medical and long-term care services.

This pilot project aims to reduce unnecessary hospitalizations and admissions to care facilities, helping seniors continue healthy lives at home and in their communities. At the same time, by minimizing service overlap and omissions, the project is expected to prevent health deterioration by providing a one-stop service from medical care to support.

Uijeongbu City Launches Pilot Project for Integrated Medical Care Support (Benchmarking Ansan City). Photo by Uijeongbu City

Mayor Kim Donggeun stated, "Through this pilot project, we will move away from fragmented service delivery and build a care system that connects various local resources, including medical and care services, thereby strengthening the local care ecosystem. We will establish the Uijeongbu-style integrated medical and care model so that seniors can live healthily and happily in their own homes."

Seniors who have difficulty with daily activities and need assistance can apply at the integrated support desk at their local community center or at the Uijeongbu branch of the National Health Insurance Service. For more information, please contact the health and welfare team at the relevant community center.