**Background:** As of 2022, South Korea's elderly population (aged 65+) comprised 17.5% of the total population, with projections of entering a super-aged society (20.6%) by 2025. The current hospital- and facility-oriented care system is considered unsustainable both for individual welfare and health insurance finances. In response, the government launched the 'Basic Plan for Integrated Community Care' in 2018, promoting home healthcare services. Korean Medicine (KM) is expected to play an expanded role due to high demand from elderly patients, its preventive focus, and advantages such as fewer side effects and the ability to diagnose and treat during home visits. However, previous pilot projects identified challenges including insufficient business periods, limited treatments, lack of standardized patient selection criteria, and absence of standardized manuals. This study aimed to survey clinical KM doctors' perceptions to establish primary data for service provision criteria and manuals.
**Methods:** A survey was conducted among KM doctors in South Korea with cooperation from the Association of Korean Medicine. Questionnaires were sent via email to all registered KM doctors, with responses collected from October 25 to October 28, 2022. The questionnaire was developed by two KM experts, reviewed by two external KM experts, and pilot-tested before finalization. It comprised 18 items across two categories: (1) basic information (sex, age, clinical career, workplace, specialist qualifications, department, work organization) and (2) awareness, necessary disease and intervention, frequency and location of visits, pros and cons, necessity, willingness to participate, and necessary support. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS20 for Windows (IBM, USA) with frequency analyses performed for all variables. The study received IRB approval from Woosuk University Institutional Review Board (IRB number: WSOH IRB H2210-02).
**Key Results:** A total of 602 KM doctors completed the survey. Demographics: 70.3% male, 29.7% female; most respondents were aged 30-39 (38.0%) and 40-49 (35.0%); the most common clinical career duration was 10-20 years (32.2%); 29.2% worked in Seoul and 21.4% in Gyeonggi; 29.2% were specialists; 67.3% worked in KM clinics. Awareness: approximately 20% of doctors answered they were well aware of the service, while 55% responded they did not know about it. Appropriate diseases (scored by ranking): stroke scored highest at 1,111 points, followed by dementia and Parkinson's disease (595), osteoarthritis (524), and chronic diseases (375). Appropriate interventions: acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, and Korean herbal medicine prescription showed similar results. Visit frequency: 53.5% selected 'once a week' as appropriate, and 99.4% chose at least once a month. Visit duration: 39.5% selected '6-12 months' (the longest option given), and 92.1% responded visits should last at least three months. Visit location: community-use facilities (37.5%), home visits (31.6%), public institutions (30.4%). Perceived advantages: most commonly, 'Medical care can be provided to people who have difficulty visiting hospitals, such as the elderly and the disabled'; only 22.3% responded that 'KM doctors can serve as the primary care physician in treating disease.' Necessity: 84.1% replied that care projects were very necessary (40.7%) or necessary (43.4%). Willingness to participate: 63.8% expressed willingness. Required support: 'Sufficient medical fees' scored highest among necessary support items.
**Clinical Implications:** The survey reveals a significant awareness gap among KM doctors regarding home healthcare services, with over half unfamiliar with the program despite its policy importance. While most KM doctors recognize the necessity of such services and identify appropriate target conditions (particularly stroke, dementia, and osteoarthritis), the disconnect between high perceived necessity (84.1%) and lower willingness to participate (63.8%) suggests that practical barriers—especially insufficient medical fees—need addressing. The finding that most doctors prefer weekly visits for 6-12 months indicates a need for sustained, regular care rather than episodic treatment. The low recognition (22.3%) of KM doctors' potential role as primary care physicians in this context suggests misunderstanding of the service's comprehensive nature, which extends beyond treatment to include health education, facility support, and welfare linkage. As the first survey study on KM doctors' perceptions of home healthcare services, these findings provide foundational data for developing standardized protocols, fee structures, and educational programs to support successful implementation of KM home healthcare in Korea's aging society.