TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — National Taiwan University Hospital is considering opening an urgent care center at nearby Huashan Market to ease crowding in its emergency department, CNA reported Monday.
CTEE reported that Health Minister Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) discussed the proposal with National Taiwan University Hospital Superintendent Yu Chung-jen (余忠仁). The Taipei City Department of Health suggested using office space at Huashan Market for the center.
Hospital spokesperson Chen Yen-yuan (陳彥元) said a nearby urgent care center could treat patients with mild conditions and reduce pressure on the hospital’s emergency department.
The National Health Insurance Administration launched the holiday urgent care center program in November. It mainly serves patients in the two least urgent categories of Taiwan’s five-level emergency triage system.
Doctors from local clinics staff the centers on Sundays and national holidays from 8 a.m. to midnight. They treat common problems such as fever and minor injuries, giving patients an alternative to waiting in a major hospital emergency department.
The program currently operates at 13 locations across Taiwan’s six major cities. Health officials hope the centers can reduce unnecessary emergency visits and shorten waiting times for patients with more serious conditions, per UDN.
Chen said Huashan Market is only a proposed location and the hospital will discuss whether the site is suitable with Taipei health officials. He said crowding at NTU Hospital’s emergency department has recently improved, although many patients still wait under observation for further treatment or admission.
