A Review on the Well-dying Support Policies in Korea and Major Countries and Implications

This study examines the recent trends in major countries through overseas case studies related to well-dying support policies and hospice/palliative care service systems in major countries, and draws implications through comparative analysis with Korea to suggest necessary improvement measures and policy recommendations. As a result of overseas case studies, major countries are promoting the provision of services centered on regional comprehensive systems and home care centered on regional base hospitals to improve the quality of death of members of society and support well-dying. In addition, a system was established to connect facilities related to well-dying support and provide diversified services, as well as provide an interconnection network for hospice and palliative care services. On the other hand, in Korea, the scope of death proposed by the legal and institutional foundation is still very narrow, and death is regarded as an event rather than a continuum of life, and the minimum legal and institutional foundation required for this is established. Therefore, we also need to gradually expand the legal and institutional foundation so that well-dying and preparation for a good death, which are closely related to the rapid progress of aging, can be realized. Above all, it is a limitation that the area of well-dying service that the domestic system is currently interested in is narrow, and policy interest in the psychological and social areas is still lacking, so it is possible to comfortably discuss death as an element of life rather than avoiding death. It is also necessary to create a positive social atmosphere, strengthen services for the remaining family members, and prepare a policy foundation. To realize this, it is necessary to make policy efforts to gradually overcome the narrowness of current interests and areas in a larger framework. In addition, there is a need to improve the system so that more diversified and comprehensive well-dying support can be achieved by developing it to suit our situation by referring to the cases of major countries.