Cabinet approves NT$1bn for rural healthcare tech

REMOTE CARE:
The government aims to foster long-distance medical services and related technologies, as healthcare should not stop at hospitals, the NSTC said

• By Chung Li-hua and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer

The Cabinet yesterday approved a budget of NT$1 billion (US$33.7 million) for long-distance medical technology to be trialed in rural areas nationwide, as the government looks toward expanding healthcare access for an aging population.

The National Science and Technology Council’s (NSTC) program, which is to be trialed for one year, aims to extend medical care to remote homes and communities, as well as usher in industrial innovation, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said.

Government ministries must be in tune with their policies and make adjustments to policy implementation methods where needed, Cho said.

Photo courtesy of Feng Yuan Hospital

With the council serving as a liaison between ministries, the government aims to create a sustainable long-distance medical service and related technology ecology, Cho said.

The premier made the comments at an Executive Yuan meeting, at which the council outlined its program to be jointly developed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Ministry of Digital Affairs.

The program aims to expand the number of innovative technologies developed for long-distance medical services, increase the convenience of long-distance medical services and products, and interlink the services with local medical networks and other diverse information hubs, the council said.

It aims to benefit frontline medical staff, and related industries and research, and as such, the opinions of people from these fields would form the foundation of the policy and its implementation, the council said.

Council Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) on Wednesday said that the health ministry is implementing a program to expand Taiwan’s healthcare, but added that healthcare promotion should not stop at hospitals.

The program should also include other types of medical care, such as long-distance medical services, he said.

The goal of the program should be to acquire knowledge and utilize technology to promote the development of long-distance medical care, such as using artificial intelligence and cloud services, freeing up personnel for emergency medicine, as medical personnel for such services at hospitals are being tied up with performing long-distance medical services, Wu said.

The program would enable doctors to provide prescriptions for residents of rural townships, allowing them to enjoy medical center-grade care and services.

The council has hosted more than 10 forums and workshops in central, southern and eastern Taiwan, inviting experts to solicit their opinions on the issue, Wu said.

It is also looking into how to foster a market and environment in which long-distance medical services are needed, Wu said, adding that many people are willing to pay extra for promoted health services.

Additional reporting from CNA