Health ministry shifts focus to quality of integrated nursing care

The health ministry announced Friday it will shift its policy focus from expanding bed capacity to improving the quality and sustainability of its integrated nursing and caregiving service.

Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong made the declaration during a visit to Korea University Guro Hospital, where she inspected ward operations and held discussions with medical staff. She stated that while previous efforts concentrated on increasing the number of available beds, the time has come to establish a long-term roadmap ensuring patients receive adequate services and field operations remain viable.

The integrated service, launched in 2015, allows hospitalized patients to receive care from a team of nurses and support staff without the need for family members or private caregivers. Since its inception, the program has expanded from 88 facilities with 7,443 beds in 2015 to 829 facilities with 90,096 beds as of June 2026.

During the meeting, hospital executives and nurses highlighted the high demand for further expansion of participating wards. They called for staffing standards that better reflect patient severity and nursing needs, along with an increase in ward support personnel.

Participants noted that tertiary general hospitals handle a higher proportion of severe cases with varying nursing requirements across different wards. They argued that uniform standards are insufficient and proposed a segmented model capable of addressing the specific care needs of diverse patient groups.

Korea University Guro Hospital has participated in the pilot project since 2016 and currently operates separate rooms dedicated to managing patients with high severity levels. The minister toured these wards after the discussion to observe the care process and encourage frontline workers.