TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Several hospitals in Taiwan will stop automatically issuing paper outpatient receipts at billing counters starting in January, unless requested by individuals, as part of efforts to promote sustainable development.
National Taiwan University Hospital Spokesperson Chen Yen-yuan (陳彥元) said the hospital has launched paperless initiatives in certain operations to reduce resource consumption. Based on the hospital’s daily outpatient numbers, this could save around 10,000 sheets of paper, per UDN. He noted the hospital also plans to move toward paperless processes for laboratory reports, prescription pickups, and other documents.
Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital Deputy Superintendent Hung Tzu-jen (洪子仁) said the hospital also plans to adopt the initiative following the Lunar New Year. The hospital has provided payment channels, including mobile payments and automatic payment machines, to reduce the need for queuing at billing counters.
Hung noted the hospital will print receipts for people who need them for insurance claims or tax filings. The hospital has launched initiatives to reduce carbon emissions, and this measure could help cut up to 4,000 paper receipts daily.
Medical fees will be uploaded to the National Taxation Bureau’s system, Hung added. During tax season, the bureau provides taxpayers with the relevant medical expense information, significantly reducing the need for paper outpatient receipts.
Taipei Veterans General Hospital Vice President Lee Wui-chiang (李偉強) said that since 2023, the hospital has offered mobile payment services, which account for about 10% of its fee payments. Individuals who choose mobile payments can print receipts on their own, while self-service payment machines also provide printing services.
Far Eastern Memorial Hospital stopped automatically printing receipts in the second half of this year. About 68% of people use mobile payments with self-service receipt printing, while the rest pay at billing counters. The hospital aims to raise mobile payment usage to 80% to further reduce the need for paper receipts.
