Why Geriatric Medicine Is Important for Korea: Lessons Learned in the United States

With the rapid increase in the number of Korean older adults, developing and integrating quality, expert older adult care in the Korean health care system will be essential and a tremendous benefit to these older adult patients, their families, and Korean society. While the awareness of geriatric medicine as a specialty for physicians caring exclusively for older adults has improved greatly in recent decades among Korean health care providers and older adult patients, there is still great opportunity to improve training opportunities for all medical students, primary care physicians, and specialty Geriatrics. Korea must also formally establish uniform geriatric medicine fellowships and certification. However, a number of barriers such as insufficient expertise, low incentives, and competitive geriatric societies exist to implement widespread, quality geriatric medicine in the Korean health care system.