Patient-Centered Integrated Model of Home Health Care Services in South Korea (PICS-K)

• Published in: International journal of integrated care Vol. 23; no. 2; p. 6
• Main Authors: Mun, Hanbit, Cho, Kyunghee, Lee, Sanghyun, Choi, Youngeun, Oh, Seung-Jin, Kim, Young-Sung, Seo, Migyeung, Park, Ji-Young, Pak, Serng Bai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Ubiquity Press 01.04.2023
• Subjects: Activities of daily living; Aging; Beneficiaries; Chronic illnesses; coordination; Cost reduction; Customer services; Disability; Frailty; Health care policy; Home health care; home health care services; home health care support center; Hospitals; integrated care; Integrated Care Case; Integrated delivery systems; interdisciplinary team; Long term health care; Medical referrals; National health insurance; Nursing homes; Older people; Patients; pics-k; Primary care; Social services; United States > US; South Korea; Integrated care; Coordination; Home health care services; Home health care support center; Interdisciplinary team; PICS-K
• ISSN: 1568-4156; 1568-4156
• DOI: 10.5334/ijic.6576

As South Korea is fast becoming an aging society, the need for integrated care of the elderly has increased. 'Community Integrated Care Initiatives' have been implemented by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. However, home healthcare is insufficient to meet this need. The National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) launched the initiative, 'Patient-Centered Integrated model of Home Health Care Services in South Korea (PICS-K)'. Its purpose is to coordinate home healthcare providers by establishing a home health care support center (HHSC) in public hospitals starting in 2021. The PICS-K has six main features: integration of primary care-hospital-personal care-social services through a consortium, HHSC in hospitals with primary care collaboration, increased accessibility, interdisciplinary team (IDT), patient-centeredness, and education. Integrating healthcare, personal care, and social services at multiple levels is necessary. Accordingly, platforms to share participant information and service records, and institutional payment system reforms are required. In public hospitals, the HHSC supported primary care, which provides home healthcare. The model combined community healthcare and social services to accomplish the aging-in-place of the homebound population by focusing on their needs. This model will be applicable to other regions in Korea.