The Seoul Metropolitan Center for Dementia carries out projects encompassing a wide range of functions: overall planning; development of project guidelines; standard program and tool developments; personnel training; technical support and setup of an integrative IT system operating exclusively to manage dementia within our community.
The basic organization of SMCD is shown in the following diagram. SMCD is operated by the Seoul National University Hospital in contract with the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The director appointed to the SMCD is a professor specializing in dementia at the Seoul National University Hospital. The responsibilities of the director is to operate the center as well as to supervise the numerous projects of the center. Under the director, there is the Steering Committee serving as the advisory body and the Technical Support Group to be in charge of expert technical advice. In addition, the tasks of the SCMD will be carried out by 4 working groups: Educational Publicity Team; Resource Integration Management Team; Information Business Team; and R&D Team. There will also be ann appointed Secretary General who will act as a supervisor to ensure that the tasks of all four teams are organically interconnected. The following diagram shows the responsibilities of each working group.
Role of SMCD and district dementia support centers
To ensure effective accomplishment of the project's goal, to manage and control dementia issues through the creation and operation of the Dementia Integrative Management System, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has established the Seoul Metropolitan Center for Dementia (in contract with Seoul National University Hospital) on Dec. 20, 2006.
Since then it has gradually set up regional dementia support centers for each 25 districts in Seoul.
SMCD, the general body of the project, provides support for these 25 regional centers and controls the overall supervision of program planning while promoting and developing business standards, R&D, and personnel training.
The regional dementia support centers directly carry out the actual programs including in-advance examination for prevention and registration for care service. They execute expenses by supporting tests, treatment plans, and projects for increased use of community resources. Anyone who lives in Seoul can benefit from the SMCD¡¯s project through their relevant district center.