TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Investment in the healthcare system and wages for its workers should increase, experts said on Thursday (Nov. 7).
National Taiwan University (NTU) School of Public Health Professor Chan Chang-chuan (詹長權) said every successive government has increased healthcare spending, but it is still insufficient to cover the needs of the aging population, per CNA. He noted Taiwan spends a lower percentage of GDP on healthcare than other OECD nations and said this should change.
Chan said healthcare spending data also needs to be more transparent. A consensus on increasing health insurance premiums and spending can only be reached by sharing information between patients, insurers, and the government, he said.
NTU Hospital Director Wu Ming-hsien (吳明賢) said Taiwan’s medical care and National Health Insurance system have always been a source of pride. However, he said there is an overemphasis on accessibility and affordability when quality and value should also be prioritized.
Wu said Taiwan’s young medical staff work hard without reasonable compensation. He also said the public believes it is best to have healthcare at one's doorstep, leading to a continuous increase in medical centers.
In these circumstances, Wu said he fears “not that the medical system will fail, but that medical staff will.”
Wu recommended integrating more AI into Taiwan’s healthcare system to reduce the burden on staff. He said if AI is to be used on the “front line” of medical care rigorous clinical trials should be conducted.
Wu and Chan spoke ahead of a Formosan Medical Association forum that will be held on Saturday and Sunday. Chan said the forum will focus on innovation in the National Health Insurance system.
