As the burden of caregiving costs for patients increases due to aging and changes in family structures, the government is preparing a long-term roadmap for a qualitative leap in integrated nursing and care services.
Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong of the Ministry of Health and Welfare visited Korea University Guro Hospital on the morning of September 18 to assess the operation of the integrated nursing and care services ward and hold a meeting with staff. The meeting included Minister Jeong, Lim Eul-ki, Director of Medical Resource Policy at the Ministry, Min Byeong-wook, President of Korea University Guro Hospital, and Choi Seon-joo, Head of Nursing, along with hospital management and nurses, who discussed the challenges in service operations and proposed improvements.
Integrated Services Mark 11 Years with Over 90,000 Beds
The integrated nursing and care services provide 24-hour professional nursing and caregiving for hospitalized patients without the need for family members or private caregivers. Since its introduction in 2015, the number of participating medical institutions has grown from 88 (7,443 beds) to 829 (90,096 beds) as of June 2026, representing more than a tenfold increase.
Korea University Guro Hospital has participated in this pilot program since 2016 and is noted for its ability to provide close care services, particularly for patients with high severity and nursing needs.
Staff Call for Detailed Staffing Standards
During the meeting, hospital staff emphasized the explosive demand for integrated nursing and care services from patients and their families, calling for an expansion of participating beds. They also presented specific recommendations to maintain high-quality service.
Staff members noted, "In tertiary hospitals, the proportion of severe patients is high, and there are significant differences in nursing needs between wards and patients. Instead of applying uniform staffing standards, we should provide models tailored to various patient groups based on their nursing needs and caregiving requirements." They also urged for an increase in support staff and a reasonable compensation system that considers the conditions of medical institutions.
Minister Jeong: Effective Improvements for Safe and High-Quality Services
After the meeting, Minister Jeong toured the integrated ward to observe the service delivery process for hospitalized patients and to encourage the staff's efforts.
Minister Jeong stated, "While we have focused on expanding the number of beds in integrated nursing and care services, it is now time to establish a long-term roadmap that ensures patients receive the necessary services and that the environment for continuous operation is maintained. We will closely examine the opinions from the field and the actual operational outcomes to develop effective policy improvements that ensure patients receive safer and higher-quality inpatient services while alleviating the caregiving burden on families."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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