Barriers to and strategies for increased use of home care nursing in South Korea

This review was performed to identify the barriers to use of home care nursing (HCN) and strategies to overcome them in South Korea. We performed a review of studies performed in Korea and worldwide on the use of HCN since 2000. The barriers to use of HCN in Korea were found to be the unprofitable fee schedule of HCN, dissatisfaction with HCN service, excess of acute care beds, restrictions against payout for HCN by private insurance, and the indifference and noncooperation of doctors. Strategies to overcome these barriers include revising the fee schedule, rationalizing the HCN provision system, broadening and improving services, inducing the cooperation of doctors, and establishing government guidelines for private insurance coverage. These strategies should not simply increase the use of HCN, but change the healthcare system overall from a hospital care-centered one to a home care-centered one. Doing so will be a cost-effective solution that satisfies patients in Korea's aging society.