169 patients treated in first 8 hours of UCC service: NHIA

Taipei, Nov. 3 (CNA) A total of 169 patients were treated on the first day of an urgent care center (UCC) service that was launched Sunday in Taiwan's six major cities, the National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) said, citing data valid as of 4 p.m. that day.

Nearly 90 percent of patients were treated for fevers, respiratory problems, gastrointestinal symptoms, and minor issues such as migraines, muscle strains, sprains, and nasal bleeding, the NHIA said in a statement issued Sunday evening.

In one case, the patient had a fish bone lodged in the throat, while in other cases, there were acute flare-ups of chronic diseases, the NHIA said.

Of the 169 patients treated during the eight hour-period on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., three were transferred to hospitals, it said.

A total of 13 UCCs have been launched in Taiwan's six major cities, offering service from 8 a.m. to midnight on Sundays and national holidays, in a bid to redirect non-emergency patients and ease the pressure on hospital emergency rooms.

To drive home the point, the NHIA noted that while most of the UCCs treated one to 11 patients during the eight-hour period on Sunday, the UCC of Yung Chuan Hospital in Tainan saw 108 patients during the same period.

According to Health Minister Shih Chung-liang (石崇良), around 80 percent of primary healthcare institutions across Taiwan remain open on Saturdays, but only about 20 percent operate on Sundays, which results in an influx of patients at hospital emergency rooms on weekends.

In particular, the demand for pediatric care tends to rise on weekends and during holidays, Shih told reporters on Sunday.

However, about 80 percent of patients in emergency rooms are usually not in critical condition and do not require hospitalization, Shih said, citing hospital data.

The effectiveness of the UCCs will be observed over the next few months before the nine-day Lunar New Year holiday in February 2026, he said, adding that the service will be expanded, depending on the data.