[The Development of Long-Term Care Policies and the Impact on Nursing].
The government must reform and enhance current medical and long-term care services in order to respond effectively to societal ageing and labor shortage trends and to ensure sustainable operations. The post-acute care system should be reoriented on the home and community instead of the hospital. The Long Term Care Service Act integrates long-term care services that were previously dispersed amongst different departments, sets up a long-term care development fund, and improves the quality and allocation of long-term care services. Moreover, the Long Term Care Insurance Act will implement a bundle payment system to assist disabled families. The integration of automation and information technology will make long-term care more efficient. Although nurses are more skilled at elderly care and counseling than other community care professionals, nurses generally lack training in business management. Home and community-based services thus require better-trained manpower, opportunities to set care agents, and opportunities to offer flexible caring jobs. Therefore, nurses should strengthen their capabilities in post-acute care, business management, cooperation, and coordination.
Institute of Health and Welfare Policy, National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan, ROC. scwu@ym.edu.tw.
Shiao-Chi
SC
Wu
Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan, ROC.
Yin-Yin
YY
Tsai
Institute of Health and Welfare Policy, National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan, ROC.
Shin-Ting
ST
Yeh
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007353:Insurance, Long-Term Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008297:Male; D009726:Nurses
Long Term Care Insurance Act; Long Term Care Service Act; home & commu­nity-based care; nursing care