ABSTRACT

Introduction: The purpose of this study is to clarify whether occupational therapy is a essential area for establishing community care and to emphasize the necessity of occupational therapy by providing basic data on the roles of occupational therapists in the community care system. Results: Based on the background regarding the emergence of communities, we reviewed case studies of community care in Korea. According to the direction of the community care promotion by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, within the community care system, occupational therapists provide rehabilitation and healthcare services for children with premature and developmental disabilities in the community, hospice palliative care for terminally ill patients, case management for mental health care and nursing facility expatriates, and the provision of services in an interim model for discharge support services. Conclusion: To establish a successful role of occupational therapist in a community system, an international classification of functioning-based evaluation tools should be developed and a study model of occupational therapy should be developed in a community care system. It is also necessary to formulate an institutional framework for carrying out the roles of a case meeting and case manager.