Design and Preliminary Implementation of an Integrated Care Flowchart for Korean-Western Medical Collaboration in Bucheon Primary Care

Hanbit Jin; Beumseuk Kim; Eunji Ahn; Sungae Kim; Minkyung Kim; Gyuseok Cho; Dongsu Kim; Jin, Hanbit; Kim, Beumseuk; Ahn, Eunji; Kim, Sungae; Kim, Minkyung; Cho, Gyuseok; Kim, Dongsu

doi:10.13048/jkm.25019

JKM > Volume 46(2); 2025 > Article

Jin, Kim, Ahn, Kim, Kim, Cho, and Kim: Design and Preliminary Implementation of an Integrated Care Flowchart for Korean-Western Medical Collaboration in Bucheon Primary Care

Original Article

The Journal of Korean Medicine 2025; 46(2): 75-83.

Published online: June 1, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.13048/jkm.25019

Design and Preliminary Implementation of an Integrated Care Flowchart for Korean-Western Medical Collaboration in Bucheon Primary Care

Hanbit Jin¹^{, §}

, Beumseuk Kim²^{, §}

, Eunji Ahn¹

, Sungae Kim³

, Minkyung Kim²

, Gyuseok Cho³^{, *}

, Dongsu Kim¹^{, *}

¹Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Dongshin University

²Jungdong Korean Medicine Clinic

³Bucheon Health Welfare Social Cooperative, Bucheon Citizen’s Medical Clinic

Correspondence to: Dongsu Kim, Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Dongshin University, 67, Dongsindae-gil, Naju-si, Jeollanam-do, Republic of Korea, Tel: +82-61-330-3258, Fax: +82-61-330-3519, E-mail: dskim20@dsu.ac.kr

§ These authors contributed equally to this work.

Received April 10, 2025 Revised May 15, 2025 Accepted May 22, 2025

Abstract

Objectives

Integrated care began as a response to the growing ageing population. The main professionals in charge of medical care are doctors and Korean medicine doctors. However, interprofessional collaboration has been scarcely explored.

Methods

A collaborative care flowchart tailored for primary care settings was developed through expert consultations with medical staff from an A Medical Home Care Center and a B Korean Medicine Home Care Center. After pilot implementation of the flowchart, electronic medical records (EMRs) of patients receiving care were retrospectively collected and analyzed from May to December 2024.

Results

The primary function of Korean medicine doctors was to manage pain, and they collaborated with medical professionals to prescribe medication and diagnose patients. Moreover, while the subjects expressed satisfaction with the collaborative care process, they expressed dissatisfaction regarding the infrequency of visits. Although the pilot implementation of the collaborative care model was successful, a critical limitation was the lack of systemic support.

Conclusions

This study is significant as it represents the first attempt to develop a primary care-based collaborative care flowchart, and it can be utilized as fundamental data in future research. In the future, it will be important to identify the comprehensive role of Korean medicine doctors and to continue discussions with other professionals and policymakers. To expand and institutionalize collaborative care, policy-level support and dedicated legal frameworks are needed.

Keywords: Integrated care, Collaborative care, Flowchart development, Pilot implementation, Retrospective chart review

Fig. 1

Primary Care-based Collaborative Care Flowchart in Bucheon City

KM; Korean medicine, WM; Western medicine

Fig. 2

Reasons for Assigning Subjects and Collaborative Care

KM; Korean medicine, WM; Western medicine

Table 1

General Characteristics of the Subjects

	Total	Collaborative care	WM alone	KM alone

	n(%) or M±SD
Total	75(100%)	18(24%)	33(44%)	24(32%)

Age (year)	79.5±7.9	81.9±8.4	77.7±7.5	80.1±7.7

Gender
Male	23(100%)	3(13.0%)	14(60.9%)	6(26.1%)
Female	52(100%)	15(28.8%)	19(36.5%)	18(34.6%)

Household type
Living alone	51(100%)	14(27.5%)	22(43.1%)	15(29.4%)
Other	24(100%)	4(16.7%)	11(45.8%)	9(37.5%)

Long-term care
No	64(100%)	17(26.6%)	30(46.9%)	17(26.6%)
Yes	11(100%)	1(9.1%)	3(27.3%)	7(63.6%)

Registered disability
No	62(100%)	15(24.2%)	29(46.8%)	18(29.0%)
Yes	13(100%)	3(23.1%)	4(30.8%)	6(46.2%)

KM; Korean medicine, WM; Western medicine

Table 2

Results of the Satisfaction Survey

Question (n=16)	Satisfaction

	M±SD
Was the quality of the home visit good?	88.8±14
Did you get the care you wanted?	87.5±13.9
Did this home visit meet your needs?	87.5±13.9
Would you recommend this home visit to someone else?	91.3±12.2
Are you satisfied with the amount (number of times) of home visits you receive?	61.3±28.7
Did this home visit help you solve your problem?	81.3±19.3
Would you like to receive this home visit in the future if necessary?	91.3±15.8
Are you generally satisfied with the house calls you have received?	88.8±14

Total	84.7±19.6

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