Abstract
The first hospice care center in Korea dates back to the East West Infirmaries (Dongseodaebiwon in the Korean language) of the Goryeo period in the early 11th century. It has been 50 years since hospice care was introduced in Korea. Initially hospice care was provided in the private sector, including those with a religious background, and its development was slow. In the 1990s, related religious organizations and academic associations were established, and then, a full-swing growth phase was ushered in as the Korean government institutionalized hospice care in the early 2000s. As a result, enhanced quality of hospice care service could be provided, which meant better pain management and higher quality of life for late stage cancer patients and their families. Still, the nation lacked a realistic reimbursement system which was needed to for financial stability of the affected patients. However, the national health insurance scheme began to cover hospice palliative expenses in 2015. In 2016, the Act on Decisions on Life-Sustaining Treatment for Patients in Hospice and Palliative Care or at the End of Life was legislated, allowing terminally-ill patients to refuse meaningless life-sustaining treatments. As the range of diseases subject to hospice palliative care was expanded, more challenges and issues need to be addressed by the service providers.
한국에서 호스피스의 기원은 11세기 초, 고려시대의 동서대비원(東西大悲院)에서 그 유래를 찾을 수 있다. 한국에 호스피스가 도입된 이후, 50여년이 흘렀고, 초기에는 종교적 배경과 민간차원의 활동이 더디게 발전해왔으나, 1990년대에 각 종교단체가 구성되고 학회가 출범한 이후, 2000년대 초기부터 정부의 개입으로 제도화가 진행되면서 본격적인 성장기를 맞게 되었다. 비록 말기암환자와 그 가족들의 고통이 경감되고 삶의 질과 서비스의 질은 향상되었으나, 안정적인 재정기반을 보장할 수 있는 현실적인 보상체계는 마련되지 못했었다. 그러나, 2015년에 호스피스 완화의료 서비스에 대한 국민건강보험 급여수가가 인정되었고, 2016년에 "호스피스 완화의료 및 임종과정에 있는 환자의 연명의료결정에 관한 법률"이 제정되어 말기환자의 무의미한 연명치료를 거부할 수 있게 되었으며, 호스피스 완화의료 서비스의 대상 질환이 확대되면서 서비스제공자들에게는 더 많은 도전과 과제들이 남아있다.
