Ministry targets November opening for 6 Taipei, Taoyuan urgent care centers

Taipei, Sept. 23 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) said Tuesday that six urgent care centers could be set up in Taipei and Taoyuan as early as November to ease congestion in hospital emergency rooms on Sundays and public holidays.

According to the MOHW, the centers would initially be located near major hospitals in the two cities that often experience overcrowding in their emergency rooms during those days.

Modeled after Japan, Health Minister Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) said the urgent care center pilot program was originally planned for October, but its rollout will be delayed because the National Health Insurance Administration has yet to discuss the budget and other relevant procedures.

The program could be implemented as early as November, with three centers each planned for Taipei and Taoyuan, Shih said.

The urgent care centers will operate mainly on Sundays or consecutive public holidays from 8 a.m. to midnight, offering internal medicine, pediatrics, and minor surgery, including minor wound suturing, as well as X-rays, blood tests and medication, he said.

Their locations have already been finalized, including two that will be established at Taipei City Hospital branches, where the space is large enough and the facilities meet the requirements, Shih said.

In Taoyuan, the centers will be set up in regional hospitals that do not currently operate emergency rooms, with community medical staff responsible for providing such services.

The minister emphasized that the urgent care centers are aimed at treating noncritical cases, such as fever, diarrhea or minor injuries, that do not require hospitalization, allowing patients to return home after treatment or be transferred to a hospital if necessary.

He indicated that similar emergency care centers already exist in countries including the United States, Japan and Germany.

(By Shen Pei-yao and Ko Lin) Endtitem/ASG