Gwangju Seo-gu, First Autonomous District in Gwangju to Operate 'Home Medical Care Pilot Project'

Published 13 Oct.2021 13:18(KST)

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Shin Dong-ho] Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City (Mayor Seo Dae-seok) is achieving a twofold effect of improving quality of life and reducing medical benefit budgets through a pilot project for home-based medical benefits targeting medical benefit recipients who are long-term inpatients in nursing hospitals.

According to Seo-gu on the 13th, the 'Home-based Medical Benefits Pilot Project,' the first of its kind implemented among autonomous districts in Gwangju, is a part of the community integrated care project. It is an integrated service that provides home-based services such as medical care and meals so that long-term inpatients with low medical necessity can continue a stable life at home after discharge from the hospital.

For example, Mr. A had been living in a nursing hospital for 13 years using a wheelchair due to lower limb dysfunction caused by a fall accident, accompanied by complications such as hyperlipidemia and pressure ulcers.

During this time, he was selected as a home-based medical benefit recipient and, through case meetings for discharge planning and service linkage, received support for household appliances, side dish delivery, home nursing, long-term care insurance, and residential environment improvement.

Meanwhile, an analysis of the average monthly medical expenses for 36 home-based medical benefit recipients for six months before and after discharge showed that the average monthly medical expense per recipient decreased from 2.68 million KRW before discharge to 1.01 million KRW after discharge, resulting in a budget reduction effect of 1.67 million KRW (-62.49%).

Seo Dae-seok, Mayor of Seo-gu, said, “Seo-gu is creating the happiest city for the elderly through various customized supports,” and added, “We will do our best to actively promote the home-based medical benefits pilot project linked to the community integrated care project, which Seo-gu is leading, so that medical benefit recipients can receive customized integrated care at home rather than in hospitals and improve their quality of life.”