As the government raises the out-of-pocket costs for non-critical and excessive non-reimbursed medical items such as manual therapy to up to 90%, ‘digital musculoskeletal (MSK) rehabilitation exercise solutions’ are gaining increased attention.

According to the government on the 8th, the Presidential Commission for Medical Reform plans to hold a discussion on the 9th and reveal a draft proposal for revising non-reimbursed medical services and indemnity insurance.

This shift may lead consumers, who previously preferred non-reimbursed treatments, to opt for home-based rehabilitation exercise services.

Digital musculoskeletal (MSK) rehabilitation exercise services allow patients desiring manual therapy to follow expert-guided sessions at home at a lower cost. While these services cannot fully replace manual therapy offered at clinics, they are cost-effective, provide exercise benefits, and are not limited by location.

In the United States, musculoskeletal rehabilitation services like Hinge Health and SWORD Health are gaining traction.

Hinge Health is a startup offering digital solutions for chronic musculoskeletal conditions such as back and joint pain. It generates over 1 trillion won in revenue and is preparing for a Nasdaq listing.

SWORD Health is an AI-based virtual physical therapy startup providing remote digital physical therapy services.

In South Korea, the digital health-tech company iPIXEL operate EXERCITE CARE, a service accessible via mobile devices, computers, or smart TVs.

EXERCITE CARE enables professional medical staff to evaluate individual exercise conditions, design personalized rehabilitation exercise plans, and monitor progress. Specifically, the AI assesses whether users are performing exercise movements accurately and provides real-time feedback.

EXERCITE CARE is already being utilized by medical professionals at institutions like Sejong Hospital and is in discussions for integration with the EMR systems of various general and specialized hospitals.

An industry insider commented, “Similar services to EXERCITE CARE include RingDoc, a digital healthcare service by the startup Itphy, and EverEx, which develops musculoskeletal rehabilitation exercise solutions. Although the market size is still relatively small, these services not only reduce healthcare costs for the public but also provide a new business model for nursing homes, rehabilitation hospitals, medical institutions, physical therapists, and exercise experts to efficiently manage rehabilitation patients or seniors remotely while generating revenue.”