TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taipei's Department of Health (台北市衛生局) reported on Monday (March 3) that emergency room congestion has shown signs of easing. The number of hospitals reporting full capacity dropped from nine or 10 daily to four or five. This development comes after implementing several key measures to address the crisis.
Chen Yi-long (陳怡龍), a health department official, detailed these measures during a routine press conference. Since late February, the Emergency Medical Operation Center (EMOC, 緊急及災難應變指揮中心) has assisted in transferring critically ill patients. Additionally, the city government subsidized ambulance fees at NT$2,500 per case and established a green channel between medical centers and Taipei City Hospitals (聯合醫院).
The Taiwan Society of Emergency Medicine (台灣急診醫學會) issued a warning in late February, stating that emergency room congestion had reached unprecedented levels this year. They cautioned that if the situation persisted, it could lead to a mass resignation of emergency medical personnel.
The Executive Yuan (行政院) and the Ministry of Health and Welfare (衛生福利部) have taken the issue seriously. They promptly proposed three short-term strategies, including enhancing bed allocation in medical centers, while considering two long-term reforms, such as adjusting National Health Insurance (全民健保) payments.
