🚨 Integrated Care

Today Korean Social News for Beginners | 2025.10.14

0️⃣ Community-Based Medical, Nursing, and Care Services and Infrastructure Gap Issues

📌 6 Months Before Nationwide 'Integrated Care' Launch... Daegu and Gyeongbuk Face Serious Home Medical Infrastructure Gaps

💬 As the integrated care system is set to launch nationwide from March next year, concerns are being raised about insufficient preparation in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions. While about half (113 out of 229) of the country's local governments operate home medical centers, Daegu has only 44% and Gyeongbuk only 18%, ranking among the lowest nationwide. Daejeon and Sejong have completed 100% installation. Experts emphasize the need for expanding home visit medical care infrastructure and developing customized models that reflect regional population structures and medical resources. The government plans to strengthen the connection between long-term care and home medical services so that elderly people can receive necessary services while staying in their communities through an expanded 'community-centered integrated care' system.

💡 Summary

• Integrated care is a system where elderly people, people with disabilities, and those with serious illnesses receive medical, nursing, and care services in their communities instead of hospitals.
• Nationwide implementation is planned for March 2025, but some regions like Daegu and Gyeongbuk have low home medical center installation rates.
• Resolving regional infrastructure gaps and developing customized care models are urgent tasks.

1️⃣ Definition

Integrated care means a system that helps elderly people, people with disabilities, and those with serious illnesses who have difficulty with daily life to receive medical, nursing, and care services together in their own communities instead of hospitals or facilities. In English, it's called 'Community Care', and it's also known as community-based integrated care.

This system aims to connect medical, welfare, housing, and care services together so that elderly people in an aging society can live with dignity in familiar environments. The national and local governments work together to build care systems that fit local characteristics and improve quality of life by providing necessary services in an integrated way.

💡 Why is this important?

• Rapid aging is increasing demand for elderly care, making a sustainable care system necessary.
• The paradigm is shifting from hospital or facility-centered care to community-centered care.
• It protects individual dignity and the right to self-determination, guaranteeing the right to live in familiar environments.
• It can reduce duplication and waste in medical and welfare services and increase efficiency.

2️⃣ Background and Current Status of Integrated Care System

📕 Background and Goals of System Introduction

• Rapid aging is the main background for introducing the system. The main situation is as follows:

  • Korea is approaching super-aged society status (over 20% of population aged 65 or older) in 2025.
  • Single-person households and elderly people living alone are increasing, weakening traditional family care functions.
  • Care centered on nursing hospitals and facilities is generating huge social costs.
  • Many elderly people enter facilities regardless of their wishes, raising concerns about decreased quality of life.

• The government's integrated care promotion plan is becoming more concrete. The main contents are as follows:

  • Since 2019, pilot integrated care programs have been operating in 16 local governments nationwide.
  • The 'Integrated Care Support Act' has been promoted since 2023 to establish a legal foundation.
  • Plans call for expanded implementation to all 229 local governments nationwide from March 2025.
  • Home visit medical care, home nursing, and home care services will be provided together centered on home medical centers.
  • Focus is on developing customized care models that reflect regional characteristics.

📕 Home Medical Center Installation Status and Regional Gaps

• Home medical center construction is progressing nationwide. The main situation is as follows:

  • As of October 2025, 113 (49%) of the country's 229 local governments operate home medical centers.
  • Daejeon and Sejong have completed 100% installation in all their local governments.
  • Major cities like Seoul, Busan, and Gyeonggi show average installation rates over 60%.
  • Home medical centers provide integrated services with teams of doctors, nurses, social workers, and others.

• Infrastructure shortage in Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions is serious. The main problems are as follows:

  • Daegu operates home medical centers in only 44% of its 8 districts and counties.
  • Gyeongbuk has installed them in only 18% of its 23 cities and counties, the lowest level nationwide.
  • Rural areas face difficulties operating centers due to medical staff shortages and large service areas.
  • With nationwide implementation 6 months away, service gaps are feared due to lack of preparation.
  • Regional equity problems are serious, and care gaps may occur depending on where people live.

💡 Main Challenges of the Integrated Care System

1. Regional infrastructure gaps: Differences in home medical center installation rates between cities and rural areas
2. Medical staff shortage: Difficulty securing home visit doctors and home visit nurses
3. Poor service connections: Lack of cooperation systems between medical, nursing, and welfare sectors
4. Securing finances: Establishing stable budgets for providing integrated care services
5. Improving awareness: Shifting care culture from facility-centered to community-centered

3️⃣ Components and Expected Effects of Integrated Care

✅ Core Services of Integrated Care

• Medical services are expanding into communities. The main contents are as follows:

  • Through home visit medical care, patients with mobility difficulties can receive doctor's care at home.
  • Chronic disease management, medication management, and simple treatments are possible at home.
  • Quick hospital connection systems are built for emergency situations.
  • Remote medical care systems are also being considered to improve accessibility.

• Nursing and care services are provided together. The main services are as follows:

  • Home care supports daily living activities like eating, bathing, and using the toilet.
  • Home nursing provides health checks like wound care, blood pressure monitoring, and medication management.
  • Day and night care centers provide care and rehabilitation programs during daytime hours.
  • Short-term care facilities temporarily relieve family care burdens.
  • Each service is provided in connection according to an integrated care plan, not separately.

✅ Expected Effects of System Implementation

• The quality of life for elderly people is expected to improve greatly. The main effects are as follows:

  • They can maintain dignity and self-determination while living in familiar environments.
  • They can prevent social isolation by continuing relationships with family, friends, and neighbors.
  • It can reduce facility admissions against people's wishes.
  • More effective health management is possible with personalized care plans.

• Social and economic effects are also expected. The main effects are as follows:

  • It reduces the national medical cost burden by decreasing unnecessary hospitalizations and facility admissions.
  • Family care burdens decrease, potentially increasing economic activity participation.
  • Care jobs are created in communities, producing employment effects.
  • Efficiency increases by reducing duplication and waste in medical, nursing, and welfare services.
  • A community culture of living together is expected to form.

4️⃣ Related Terms

🔎 Home Medical Center

• Home medical centers are the core infrastructure of integrated care.
  • A home medical center is a medical institution that visits the homes of patients with mobility difficulties to provide medical care and nursing services. Multidisciplinary professionals including doctors, nurses, and social workers form teams to provide integrated medical services.
  • The main roles of home medical centers include: first, home visit medical care for chronic disease management, medication management, and simple medical treatments. Second, home nursing providing blood pressure and blood sugar monitoring, wound care, and health counseling. Third, handling quick hospital connections in emergency situations. Fourth, supporting the establishment and coordination of care plans for patients and families.
  • The government aims to install at least one home medical center in each of the 229 local governments nationwide. However, as of October 2025, only about half have been built, making expansion in regions like Daegu and Gyeongbuk particularly urgent.

🔎 Community Integrated Care Pilot Project

• The pilot project was a program that tested integrated care models.
  • The Community Integrated Care Pilot Project was a program in which the Ministry of Health and Welfare selected 16 local governments nationwide from 2019 to test integrated care models. It aimed to experiment with connections between medical, housing, nursing, and care services and discover models suited to regional characteristics.
  • The main contents of the pilot project included: first, operating programs to support discharged patients returning to communities. Second, connecting home medical care with home care services. Third, providing housing environment improvements and life support services together. Fourth, placing coordinators to connect medical and welfare resources within regions.
  • Pilot project results showed high participant satisfaction and decreased unnecessary hospitalizations and facility admissions. Based on these results, the government plans to expand implementation nationwide from March 2025 and promote system establishment by sharing best practices from each region.

🔎 Integrated Care Support Act

• The Integrated Care Support Act is legislation establishing the legal basis for integrated care.
  • The Integrated Care Support Act is legislation that establishes a legal foundation for bundling together and providing in integrated fashion at the local level services that were previously provided separately, such as medical, nursing, and welfare services. Its formal name is the 'Community Integrated Care Support Act'.
  • The main contents of the bill include: first, defining integrated care and stating basic principles. Second, stipulating the responsibilities and roles of national and local governments. Third, setting standards for integrated care service providers and personnel. Fourth, including financial support and budget securing measures. Fifth, including provisions for service user rights and protection.
  • This bill has been under discussion in the National Assembly since 2023, with legislative procedures progressing toward implementation in the first half of 2025. When the law is enacted, integrated care will be institutionally stabilized, and the legal basis for service provision will become clear, making nationwide expansion smoother.

🔎 Care Plan

• A care plan is a personalized integrated care plan.
  • A care plan is a personalized care plan that comprehensively assesses the health status, living environment, family situation, etc. of a person who needs care and systematically connects necessary medical, nursing, and welfare services. In English, it's called a 'Care Plan'.
  • The care plan development process includes: first, professionals comprehensively assess the subject's physical and cognitive functions, disease status, and daily living abilities. Second, listening to the needs and preferences of the subject and family. Third, selecting necessary medical, nursing, welfare, and housing services and establishing connection plans. Fourth, coordinating with service providers and schedules to establish an integrated plan. Fifth, regularly monitoring and adjusting the plan according to situation changes.
  • The core of a care plan is that services are not provided separately but are coordinated and provided under one integrated plan. This prevents duplicate services, ensures necessary care without omission, and enables effective subject-centered care.

5️⃣ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can anyone receive integrated care services?

A: Elderly people, people with disabilities, and those with serious illnesses who have difficulty with daily life are eligible, but specific criteria may differ by region.

• The main targets of integrated care are people with mobility difficulties or who need continuous care for chronic diseases. First, elderly people aged 65 or older who need help with daily life or medical management are eligible. Second, people with disabilities who want independent living in communities but need support are included. Third, people with serious illnesses or hospice patients can also receive services. Fourth, people discharged from hospitals or facilities and returning to communities are also supported.
• Specific eligibility and criteria are determined by each local government according to regional situations. Generally, those who have received long-term care grades or have doctor's notes become priority targets, and economic ability and family support status are also considered. If you want to use services, you can inquire at your local community center, public health center, or home medical center for consultation.

Q: How much do integrated care services cost?

A: Out-of-pocket costs vary by income level and service type, and basic living security recipients can use them for free.

• Integrated care service costs differ by service type as they use existing health insurance and long-term care insurance systems. First, medical services like home visit medical care or home nursing apply health insurance, with out-of-pocket costs around 20%. Second, nursing services like home care or day and night care apply long-term care insurance, with out-of-pocket costs varying by income level. Third, general households pay 15-20%, low-income households pay 6-9%, and basic living security recipients pay nothing.
• An advantage of integrated care is that cost burdens decrease compared to using multiple services separately. With good service connections, you can avoid unnecessary duplicate services and economically receive only the care you need. Additionally, the government is preparing additional support measures for low-income and vulnerable groups to ensure that no one misses necessary care due to economic difficulties.

Q: What should I do if there's no home medical center in my area?

A: You can use nearby regional centers or existing resources like public health centers and home nursing centers, and they will gradually expand.

• Although many areas currently don't have home medical centers installed, there are several alternatives. First, nearby regional home medical centers may provide services to wider areas. Second, local public health centers operate home health management services where you can receive similar support. Third, you can receive necessary care through private home nursing centers or nursing institutions. Fourth, home services provided by welfare centers or senior welfare centers are also available.
• The government is accelerating home medical center expansion ahead of nationwide implementation in March 2025. Budget and personnel support is being concentrated especially in regions with low installation rates like Daegu and Gyeongbuk, and plans are being considered to introduce mobile visit methods or remote medical systems for rural areas. If you're experiencing inconvenience due to lack of a home medical center in your area, you can inquire at your community center or public health center for information about currently available services and also convey your request for center installation, which will be helpful.

View Table of Contents

• Go to Guide