'We will further strengthen Guri's integrated care system'
Shin Dong-hwa, the newly inaugurated mayor of Guri, made approval of an MOU for a specialized integrated care project his first official act, signaling a commitment to citizen-centered care policy.
According to Guri city, Shin's first approval after taking office was a plan to sign MOUs with specialized integrated care service providers and establish a support and referral system for patients discharged from hospitals.
The move marks the first step toward building a community-based integrated care system that allows residents who need medical and care services to live stably in their communities after hospital discharge.
Shin had shown deep interest in integrated care even before becoming mayor, co-sponsoring a Guri city ordinance on integrated care support during his tenure as speaker of the Guri City Council.
His choice of an integrated care MOU as his first mayoral act reflects his longstanding commitment — dating back to his time on the council — to making integrated care policy a central priority of his administration.
Through the MOU, Guri plans to build a referral network to help discharged patients return smoothly to community life, while strengthening specialized integrated care services, case identification and referrals, case management and service coordination to create a more comprehensive, Guri-tailored care framework.
"In a super-aged society, building a system that ensures medical care and support continue without interruption after a patient leaves the hospital is more important than anything," Shin said. "My decision to make an integrated care MOU my first act in office reflects my determination to deliver welfare administration that takes responsibility for residents' lives at the closest possible level."
He added, "We will work closely with relevant institutions to further strengthen Guri's integrated care system so that any resident who needs care can continue to live a healthy and safe life in the place they call home."
Meanwhile, Guri plans to use the MOU as a springboard to further strengthen its integrated medical, long-term care and welfare support system, and to continuously expand cooperation with relevant institutions to deliver tailored integrated care services to discharged patients and other residents in need.
pjh@heraldcorp.com
