"Success of Integrated Care and Chronic Disease Management Hinges on Improvements to Digital Healthcare Regulations"

"Korea Future Biohealth Forum" Held on January 12
"Creating a Digital Environment for Primary Care Institutions and Vulnerable Groups"
"Realistic Reimbursement for Continuous Monitoring"

There have been growing calls for urgent improvements to digital healthcare regulations to ensure the successful implementation of the government’s integrated care policy and the primary care-focused chronic disease management project. Experts point out that establishing an effective reimbursement system and building the necessary infrastructure are key to achieving practical results in the field.

Byungha Cho, Head of Digital Healthcare Business Division at Daewoong Pharmaceutical, is presenting at the "Korea Future Biohealth Forum" held on the 12th at the National Assembly Members' Office Building, Room 2. Daewoong Pharmaceutical

At the "Korea Future Biohealth Forum" held on January 12 at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul, experts urged the creation of a system that enables seamless management of patient conditions outside hospitals. They agreed that, in order to enhance the effectiveness of integrated care, it is essential to establish a technological foundation for real-time biometric monitoring, as well as legal and economic incentives to support this infrastructure.

Byungha Cho, Head of Digital Healthcare Business Division at Daewoong Pharmaceutical, who served as a presenter at the forum, stated that the success of integrated care hinges on the quality of patient monitoring. He emphasized that the true value of patient monitoring lies not in simply increasing the frequency of observation, but in how early risk signals can be detected and how quickly responses can be made.

He said, “A system that enables nationwide, 24-hour monitoring, anytime and anywhere, is essential for the stable establishment of integrated care policies. While early diagnosis and continuous management may initially appear to be costs, they are actually effective investments that prevent the progression to severe diseases and ultimately reduce long-term healthcare expenditures.”

In practice, there have been a series of cases in the medical field where early intervention was made possible through digital healthcare. Incheon Naeun Hospital was able to detect critical patients early using its AI-based bed monitoring system, ‘Think’, while Kangbuk Samsung Hospital’s health screening center prevented emergency situations in advance through AI electrocardiogram analysis.

Cho outlined several tasks necessary to expand these achievements, including: creating an environment for digital utilization in primary care institutions; establishing realistic reimbursement for continuous monitoring and long-term testing; and expanding digital care infrastructure for vulnerable groups.

He analyzed that the chronic disease management project can only succeed if primary care institutions actively utilize digital platforms and diagnostic technologies. He added that this would not only improve access to healthcare, but also foster a clear division of roles with tertiary hospitals, thus contributing to the creation of an efficient healthcare system.

The need to expand the reimbursement system for continuous monitoring was also raised. As the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends perioperative blood glucose management and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, there is an urgent need to establish an environment in Korea that enables continuous management of biometric indicators.

The importance of building a ‘digital integrated care’ infrastructure for medically underserved areas and elderly people living alone was also highlighted. While combining digital technology with remote home monitoring and home visits can enable continuous health management, current reimbursement and regulatory limitations pose significant barriers to wider adoption.

In particular, there was a call to ease the high out-of-pocket burden (80%) for long-term Holter electrocardiogram tests lasting more than three days. Cho emphasized, “Although long-term tests of more than 72 hours are effective in detecting hidden atrial fibrillation, many patients miss early diagnosis opportunities due to the cost burden. Bringing these tests into the reimbursement system is necessary to prevent serious diseases such as stroke.”

Lee Jooyoung, a member of the National Assembly’s Health and Welfare Committee from the Reform New Party, who hosted the forum, stated, “Digital healthcare is a core infrastructure for completing the healthcare system. The National Assembly will actively pursue regulatory improvements at the legislative level.”

Lee Junseok, a member of the Reform New Party, is listening to an explanation at the Daewoong Pharmaceutical booth set up at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul on the 12th. Daewoong Pharmaceutical

Meanwhile, prior to the forum, a booth was set up in the lobby of the National Assembly Members' Office Building where visitors could experience digital healthcare devices firsthand. A variety of attendees, including Lee Junseok, leader of the Reform New Party, visited the booth to try out Daewoong Pharmaceutical’s bed monitoring system ‘Think’, the wearable electrocardiogram device ‘Mobicare’, and the fundus camera ‘Optina’.