Perceptions of Integrated Medical Service Among Stroke Patients in South Korea: Self-Reported Web-Based Survey Study

Background: Integrated medical service (IMS) refers to the collaborative treatment of conventional medicine and Korean medicine in Korea. IMS for stroke is recognized for its efficacy, however, there are many barriers to obtaining therapeutic effects in clinical settings. This study was aimed to investigate the current perceptions of IMS among Korean stroke patients to provide a basis for exploring ways to universalize IMS in real-world stroke clinical practice. Methods: We conducted a self-reported web-based survey in December 2021. We recruited 100 Korean patients who had been diagnosed with stroke. The questionnaire developed by the research team was composed of 5 sections: demographic information, stroke history, perceptions of IMS for acute stroke and stroke sequelae, and other perceptions of IMS for stroke treatment. Results: For both acute stroke and stroke sequelae, half of the patients agreed (45% and 52%) and about 15% of the patients disagreed to receive IMS (18% and 12%), had positive expectations of IMS effects (49% and 53%), and feel the economic burdensome of IMS (50% and 52%); National Health Insurance (NHI) covered treatments such as acupuncture and electroacupuncture (69.5% and 69.3%) were the most common types of KM treatment desired; private insurance subscribers had higher preference for NHI uncovered treatments such as NHI uncovered herbal medicines; the most common reason for reluctance to receive IMS was economic burden (38.9% and 58.3%) and treatment not being recommended by a conventional medicine doctor in acute stroke (38.9%) even though most patients had positive expectations of IMS effects (49% and 53%). Conclusion: Stroke patients were favorable to IMS and had high expectations for its effectiveness. Cost and lack of cooperation from conventional medicine doctors were barriers to patients’ access to IMS. Policy reform and active cooperation between conventional and traditional doctors may improve IMS access and satisfaction. Keywords: integrated medical service, conventional medicine, Korean medicine, stroke patients, web-based survey