MOHW mulls 'intoxication observation units' as medical violence rises

Taipei, Jan. 25 (CNA) Taiwan should consider establishing "intoxication observation units" in emergency rooms, as incidents of violence against medical staff reached a five-year high in 2024, Deputy Health Minister Lin Ching-yi (林靜儀) said recently.

According to statistics released by the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), a total of 1,668 cases of medical violence were reported between 2020 and 2024, with 300, 330, 264, 330 and 444 cases recorded in each respective year.

The statistics did not directly attribute a specific number of cases to people being drunk, but Lin said in an interview with CNA on Saturday that the most problematic cases for medical professionals involve intoxicated individuals.

One approach for dealing with them, she said, would be to place intoxicated patients in a separate observation area, where medical staff can monitor their physical condition while giving the individual time to sober up.

"It is really bizarre that people who are intoxicated are still being sent to hospitals," Lin said, arguing that hospital resources should not have to bear the burden of all societal ills.

In terms of the data released, of the 1,668 cases of medical violence reported from 2020 to 2024, 800 occurred in emergency rooms, followed by 361 in general wards and 179 in outpatient clinics.

Verbal violence, including shouting, verbal abuse and threats, accounted for the majority of incidents at 806 cases, followed by physical violence with 501 cases.

Health care professionals comprised most of the victims, totaling 1,377, while guards or security personnel were the second most affected group, with 93 cases, according to the MOHW.

Lin suggested that the rising number of reported cases could reflect a shift in mindset among medical professionals, who have previously put a premium on harmony but now are more inclined to report cases and assert their rights through legal channels.

With amendments to the Medical Care Act more clearly defining medical violence and increasing penalties for offenders, society has gradually come to recognize that resorting to violence in medical settings is unacceptable under any circumstances, she said.

In the past, judges often deemed the behavior of patients or their family members "justifiable," allowing offenders to avoid meaningful penalties, Lin said.

According to Lin, there are several general measures that can be used to prevent medical violence.

Aside from improving procedures for handling intoxicated patients, they include building consensus with the legal community to promote zero tolerance for violence in medical settings and fully supporting medical institutions in providing legal and psychological assistance to victims, Lin said.