J Korean Geriatr Soc.
2006 Sep;10(3):155-160.
The Plan Suggestion for the Efficient Future Medical Care of Old Patients in the Community
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Internal Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, Chon-An, Korea. scychul@dankook.ac.kr
Abstract
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In the future, geriatric care needs much more financial cost because korea is changing to an aging society rapidly and most of old people have health problems. It is important to have a comprehensive blueprint of the medical care of old patients, linking this with a welfare of old people. The government has to bring up and draw guidelines how to handle old patients and how much to treat them, before starting a national nursing insurance for old handicapped patients. Without a blueprint of old people care, we are in danger to encounter a huge financial leakage due to inefficient care system for old patients. Presently, old patient medical care are being randomly performed according to doctor's decision on a individual base. The multi-organ injury chronic diseased case tend to be rejected by doctors and will be referred to the higher level of medical center. Since old wealthy patient with a good economic and physical condition is a good target of making a money, this kind of old people will be welcomed and many lucrative cares will be applied under the name of anti-aging therapy. This consumptive environment must be changed to an efficient and economic system. The key content of a desirable system is a self-community of old-age people, which the lesser sick help the more sick and the lesser old patients help the more elderlies. The all around plan-building by the government is absolutely needed to provide a efficient medical treatment system for old patients with organizing the elderly as well as improving the regulations. Now, the government is ready to implement a national nursing insurance to solve the problems of the aging society. However, without a well prepared master plan for the future matters, we will meet other obstacles which could see in a tardy growing society.