Pohang opens nation's first public hospital-based home medical care center

Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, held an opening ceremony for its new home medical care center at Gyeongbuk Pohang Medical Center on Wednesday, with about 100 attendees including Mayor Park Yong-seon, City Council Chairman Kim Cheol-su, Pohang Medical Center President Park Seong-min, and officials from health care and related organizations.

At the ceremony, the mayor presented commendations to Pohang Medical Center staff who contributed to establishing the center, followed by a progress report and commemorative events.

Pohang has been running integrated care pilot projects since 2024 and 2025, and in March launched a full-scale medical and long-term care integration program. The opening of the home medical care center establishes a key hub for what the city calls its "Pohang-style integrated care" model, linking medical services with broader care support.

The center is the nation's first home medical care model based at a public hospital. Doctors, nurses and other medical professionals will make direct visits to residents who have difficulty accessing health care facilities, providing consultations, health management, post-discharge follow-up and chronic disease management.

The center also coordinates with welfare and long-term care services to support community-centered integrated care.

Through the initiative, Pohang aims to meet growing demand for home-based medical care driven by an aging population, improve access to health services in rural towns and villages, close gaps in medical coverage, and strengthen the foundation for residents to receive both medical and care services in familiar surroundings.

"The nation's first public hospital-based home medical care center is a new starting point for community integrated care that connects medicine and welfare as one," Mayor Park said. "We will continue to build a more comprehensive Pohang-style integrated care system so that every resident can receive the medical care and support they need without leaving home."