‘Dementia Management Primary Care Physician’ Pilot Project Faces Issues with Regional Participation Imbalance
The ‘Dementia Management Primary Care Physician’ pilot project, introduced by the government to systematically care for dementia patients, has begun, but it has been found that there is a significant disparity in participation rates across different regions. This program is a system where various professionals, including doctors, nurses, and nutritionists, collaborate centered around local clinics to provide integrated treatment, prevention, and care for dementia patients.
According to recent survey results, it was confirmed that not a single dementia patient has been registered in 12 of the regions targeted for the pilot project. This result indicates that the system has not properly taken root in the field, leading to criticism that the ‘phenomenon of concentration,’ where participation is focused only in specific areas, is severe.
Experts emphasize that for this project to succeed, promotion that allows patients and guardians to easily access information is necessary, and an environment where medical institutions can actively participate must be created. In particular, as continuous management is crucial for dementia, reducing the medical gap between regions is a key task for this project.
The government and health authorities plan to closely analyze the problems of this pilot project and prepare improvement measures. It appears urgent to supplement the system so that dementia patients and their families can receive high-quality medical services near their residences.