Pohang City Launches Korea’s First Public Medical Home Care Center for Integrated Community Care

Pohang City has launched South Korea’s first public medical center-based “Home Care Medical Center,” establishing a new model for integrated community care. Located within the Pohang Medical Center under the Gyeongsangbuk-do provincial health system, the facility is designed to provide medical, nursing, and social welfare services directly to the homes of elderly and vulnerable residents who face barriers to visiting traditional clinics or hospitals.

This initiative represents a strategic shift in South Korean public health policy, moving away from facility-centered treatment toward a proactive, home-based care model. By utilizing the existing infrastructure of a provincial public medical center, the city aims to bridge the gap between acute hospital care and daily life for patients with chronic conditions or mobility limitations. The program is part of a broader “Pohang-style” integrated care system, which seeks to standardize how local governments manage the health needs of an aging population.

Integration of Public Health and Home-Based Care

The Home Care Medical Center operates by deploying multidisciplinary teams—including physicians, nurses, and social workers—to patients’ residences. According to the Pohang City government, the service is specifically targeted at individuals who are homebound due to disability, advanced age, or severe chronic illness. By basing the center within the Pohang Medical Center, the program ensures that home-care patients have a seamless referral pathway if their condition requires diagnostic imaging, lab work, or inpatient admission.

This model addresses a persistent challenge in the South Korean healthcare landscape: the “silo effect,” where medical treatment and social support services often operate independently. By integrating these functions, the Pohang facility aims to reduce unnecessary hospital readmissions and improve the quality of life for long-term care patients. The Pohang Medical Center, as a regional public hospital, serves as the operational anchor, providing the necessary clinical oversight for the home-based teams.

Addressing the Needs of an Aging Demographic

The implementation of this service comes as South Korea faces one of the world’s fastest rates of demographic aging. As the number of “super-aged” communities increases, the demand for home-based medical interventions has risen significantly. The Pohang initiative is viewed by regional health authorities as a pilot project that could provide a blueprint for other municipalities across the country.

The program’s core functions include:

• Regular health monitoring and medication management for patients with chronic diseases.
• Coordinated social welfare assessments to ensure patients have adequate nutrition and home safety.
• Direct consultation between home-based medical staff and hospital specialists to adjust treatment plans.
• Education and emotional support for family caregivers to prevent burnout.

By bringing the expertise of a public hospital into the community, the center aims to lower the psychological and physical burden on patients who might otherwise delay care until a medical emergency occurs. The Ministry of Health and Welfare has been encouraging local governments to explore similar community-integrated care models, making the Pohang facility a key site for observing the efficacy of such programs in a real-world setting.

Strategic Implications for Public Medical Centers

The use of a public medical center as the primary hub for home care is a notable evolution for provincial health institutions. Traditionally, these centers have focused on inpatient care and emergency services. The shift toward a community-outreach role underscores a changing mandate for public medical institutions to act as the primary coordinators of regional health, rather than just service providers.

The success of this center will likely be measured by its impact on the “continuity of care”—the degree to which a patient’s health trajectory is managed smoothly across different settings. Future updates on the program’s expansion, including the number of participating households and patient outcomes, are expected to be released through the Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government portal as the center moves past its initial operational phase.

As the project continues to scale, observers in the public health sector will be tracking whether this model can be sustainably funded and replicated in urban areas with different population densities. For now, the center remains the primary point of contact for residents in the Pohang region seeking information on home-based medical support. Residents and families interested in the eligibility criteria or referral processes are encouraged to contact the Pohang Medical Center directly or consult with their local community health center for the most current service guidelines.