Partners to collaborate on smart care facilities and digital long-term care services

Seo Hyeong-pil (left), acting president of Busan Technopark, and Hong Yun-hui, head of the National Health Insurance Service's Busan-Ulsan-South Gyeongsang Province regional headquarters [Busan Technopark]
Seo Hyeong-pil (left), acting president of Busan Technopark, and Hong Yun-hui, head of the National Health Insurance Service's Busan-Ulsan-South Gyeongsang Province regional headquarters [Busan Technopark]

Busan Technopark and the National Health Insurance Service's Busan-Ulsan-South Gyeongsang Province regional headquarters signed an MOU Thursday to promote innovation in long-term care services and develop the region's age-friendly industry. The signing ceremony was held at the main conference room of Busan Technopark's Eco Complex.

About 15 officials from both organizations attended, including Busan Technopark Acting President Seo Hyeong-pil and senior researcher Do Myeong-seok, along with NHIS regional head Hong Yun-hui and care operations director Kim Eon-ryeong.

The agreement was drawn up to address rising demand for long-term care as South Korea enters a super-aged society, and to drive innovation in care services through digital technology while boosting the local age-friendly industry. The two organizations had previously discussed building a smart care facility platform, applying digital care services to long-term care facilities, improving operational efficiency, and expanding the age-tech industry.

Under the MOU, the two sides agreed to cooperate on: consulting and collaboration related to smart care facilities, digital care services and operational efficiency; promoting the age-friendly industry, including age-tech services, welfare equipment benefit items, long-term care-related products, healthcare products, and rehabilitation and care devices; education and outreach to improve service acceptance among care facility workers, users and guardians; and jointly organizing seminars, roundtables, forums, pilot programs and research on long-term care.

The partners plan to examine how digital technology can be applied at long-term care facilities, particularly in connection with Busan Technopark's ongoing AI-based smart care facility platform project. They also aim to strengthen cooperation to reduce the workload of care workers and improve the quality of care for users.

They also intend to combine the NHIS's expertise in the long-term care insurance system and facility operations with Busan Technopark's experience in digital healthcare projects and its regional business network, with the goal of identifying, piloting and scaling age-friendly products and care services based on real-world demand.

Following the signing, the two organizations plan to establish a regular working-level consultative body and carry out follow-up projects in stages, including advisory sessions on smart care facilities and digital care services, joint seminars, field pilot programs, and education and outreach initiatives.


kaf2002@heraldcorp.com