Taiwan’s health and medical care services industry will further strengthen its global presence on the back of new opportunities created by the Free Economic Pilot Zones, ROC Premier Jiang Yi-huah said April 15.
Taiwan’s advantages in medical practice, health checkups and cosmetic surgery should be combined through cross-sector cooperation to enhance the industry’s reputation in mainland China and Southeast Asia, as well as ethnic Chinese communities and tourists from other parts of the world, Jiang said.
The premier made the remarks after hearing the Ministry of Health and Welfare briefing on its global promotion plan for the local health care and medical industry at a political affairs meeting in Taipei City.
According to Jiang, for the industry to tap into the global market, domestic resources will have to be integrated, relevant rules and regulations examined, and a two-pronged strategy of international promotion and gradual liberalization implemented.
The premier identified Taiwan’s highly qualified personnel, state-of-the-art facilities and procedures, as well as internationally competitive service fees, as Taiwan’s key advantages over neighboring countries in developing international health and medical care services.
This industry is a top priority among first-phase FEPZ developments, which was approved by the Executive Yuan in April 2013 and implemented in August the same year.
To date the MOHW has established five international medical care centers at four international airports—Taipei Songshan, Taiwan Taoyuan, Taichung and Kaohsiung international airports—involving over 50 domestic medical institutions in offering medical appointment and consultation services to international visitors.
The second phase requires further examination and revision of operating mechanisms and complementary regulations, including relaxation of visa procedures to facilitate the visit of ethnic Chinese from countries such as Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, the Jiang said.
Prior to developing international health services, he said, a government has to take care of its citizens’ health first and enhance national medical service and quality standards.
When other countries were promoting international health care, Taiwan had already implemented National Health Insurance and an islandwide health network, enabling the people of Taiwan to enjoy high-quality medical service at a low self-payment rate, Jiang added.
Addressing public concerns that promotion of international health care services might place undue strain on Taiwan’s medical resources, the premier said the government will train more medical personnel and he has instructed the Ministry of Education to assist the MOHW in this regard.
Other complementary measures, including limiting the number of FEPZ international health care areas and in-zone medical institutions, as well as the hours medical personnel work at these facilities, Jiang added.
In addition, the NHI will not apply within the FEPZs, the premier said, adding that medical personnel working within the zones must pay a special permission fee, which will be used for funding medical services for disadvantaged groups.
Jiang said he has directed the MOHW to strengthen communication with the public to avoid misunderstandings and win support for Taiwan’s opportunity to promote its medical expertise and quality health care to the international community. (YHC-JSM)
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