TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Incoming Health Minister Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) on Thursday unveiled strategies to ease emergency room overcrowding and tackle the growing nurse shortage in Taiwan, CNA reported.
According to the Taiwan Society of Emergency Medicine, emergency rooms in most major hospitals nationwide have faced severe overcrowding this year. The condition has been worsened by a shortage of nursing staff, leading to the closure of some hospital wards.
The association noted that emergency departments cannot turn away patients once they reach capacity, a challenge that has placed more pressure on healthcare workers.
Some nurses in Taiwan have reportedly left their positions due to low pay, heavy workloads, and the high risk of medical disputes. More than 700 nurses resigned between December and early this year, highlighting growing concerns about staffing shortages in the healthcare system.
Shih, who currently directs the National Health Insurance Administration, said his plan focuses on reforming the tiered medical care system and improving the working environment for healthcare workers.
Shih emphasized the importance of a tiered emergency system to manage patient numbers and direct non-urgent cases away from emergency rooms. According to data from the ministry, only about 20% of emergency room visits involve urgent cases. To address overcrowding on weekends and holidays, Shih also plans to establish urgent care centers.
Strengthening the family medicine system is a feasible way to prevent individuals with chronic illnesses or disabilities from seeking emergency rooms due to poor condition management, Shih said. He added that the ministry launched a home-based care program last year to treat eligible patients outside of hospitals, aiming to ease bed shortages.
It also plans to promote an early discharge initiative, allowing stabilized individuals to continue treatment at home or local clinics.
To address nursing staff shortages, Shih also unveiled strategies including workforce training, salary improvements, adjusting shift schedules with increased night shift allowances, and introducing automation and AI-powered systems to ease their workload.
Taiwan’s aging population accounts for nearly 40% of the country’s National Health Insurance spending, Shih added. Other major costs include catastrophic illnesses and the development of new drugs.
Facing a declining birth rate and a shrinking workforce, NHI revenues are expected to decrease even as medical expenses continue to rise. Shih said the ministry will not raise NHI premiums next year, but noted that adjustments after 2027 remain uncertain.
