Six facilities within the district — including Seoul National University Hospital and Gangbuk Samsung Hospital — and 24 outside it, including the National Medical Center, now participate; a dedicated district team connects patients before discharge for tailored health, long-term care and residential support
Jongno-gu has expanded its network of hospitals linked to its integrated post-discharge care program sixfold, from five facilities in September to 30.
Residents discharged from partner hospitals, including Seoul National University Hospital, can now receive care support from a dedicated district team before leaving the hospital, allowing them to continue medical and long-term care services at home.
The post-discharge community linkage project is part of a joint medical and long-term care system run by the district and participating hospitals, with the goal of helping patients recover quickly and return stably to home life.
Six facilities within the district have joined the network: Seoul National University Hospital, Gangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul Red Cross Hospital, Roy Hospital, Reum Korean Medicine Hospital and Seoul Sungin Hospital. An additional 24 hospitals outside the district — frequently used by Jongno-gu residents — also participate, among them the National Medical Center, Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, Central Veterans Hospital, Korea University Anam Hospital and Severance Hospital.
The referral process begins before discharge. When a participating hospital identifies a Jongno-gu resident who needs integrated care, it obtains the patient's consent, completes the required paperwork and submits a service request to the district's integrated care team.
The district then draws up a tailored support plan for each referred patient and, through a case conference, arranges for health care, health management, long-term care, daily living assistance and residential environment improvements to be in place the moment the patient is discharged.
In addition, the district consistently monitors each patient's health and lifestyle after support begins and adjusts the plan as needed to help patients return to daily life as quickly as possible.
The district plans to keep expanding the number of participating institutions so that residents who need care can be identified before discharge and connected to the right services immediately afterward.
"We are strengthening cooperation with medical institutions so that residents can continue to lead healthy, stable lives in the familiar surroundings they call home, even after discharge," Jongno-gu District Mayor Yoo Chan-jong said. "We will continue to expand our network of partner hospitals to build a tight-knit community medical and care system that ensures every patient receives the support they need at the right time."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
