Health ministry picks 120 clinics for community primary care pilot

The health ministry said Monday it has selected 120 neighborhood clinics to run a three-year pilot program that expands primary care beyond treatment to prevention, health management and connections to community care services. The 120 clinics were chosen from 674 applicants after the ministry evaluated their capacity to run the program and the feasibility of their plans for multidisciplinary teams. Patient enrollment and service delivery begin Sept. 29.

Under the program, patients aged 50 and older who need integrated management can register at a participating clinic and pay the same out-of-pocket costs as before joining. They receive tailored in-person and remote management, including counseling on health checkup results, education and advice on exercise, diet and medication, and referrals to specialist clinics or hospitals when needed.

Participating clinics are divided into 20 that operate multidisciplinary teams on their own and 100 that provide team-based services in cooperation with regional support centers. The teams bring together doctors, nurses, nutritionists, physical therapists, occupational therapists and social workers to deliver care covering treatment, medication management, education, home visits and nursing, and links to local care resources.

The pilot also introduces a bundled payment system that includes an annual management fee based on a patient's health and demographic status. Clinics may also choose bundled payment for examinations and procedures instead of the existing fee-for-service system, and they receive operating support for running their teams and performance payments tied to patient management and service results.

The ministry said it launched the program to respond to rapid population aging and a rise in chronic diseases by building a primary care system centered on where people live. The pilot will run for about three years, and the number of participating clinics may grow depending on how the program operates, the ministry said.

"We will successfully build a Korean-style family doctor model that both the public and medical institutions can trust through this pilot project, laying the foundation for institutionalization," Ko Hyung-woo, the ministry's director-general for regional essential medical policy, said. "We ask for the public's keen interest and participation in the pilot project."