A Narrative Review with Strategic Analysis of Home Care Services for Older Adults in Seoul, South Korea: Toward a Comprehensive Care Approach

Purpose: This study aimed to establish a role framework and organizational redesign for home care services in response to the evolving internal and external environments in South Korea. The specific objectives were: (1) to perform a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats (SWOT) analysis based on the external and internal factors related to home care services; (2) to propose key ideas for restructuring services and human resources; and (3) to suggest strategies for enhancing the quality of home-based care services.

Patients and methods: The policy landscape for older adult healthcare in Seoul, South Korea along with the current state and challenges of home care services were reviewed. A systematic analysis of internal and external factors influencing organizational goals and strategies was conducted following the SWOT analysis framework.

Results: We highlight the difficulties in grassroots health management and suggest the need for regional organizational structures. A transition from individual nurse-centric care to a team-based approach is suggested with an emphasis on targeting services to vulnerable groups.

Conclusion: Restructuring of home care services is essential with a focus on vulnerable populations and the establishment of performance metrics. Seamless communication between stakeholders and specialized training for team leaders are crucial for successful implementation.