Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) plans to expand its family physicians program, currently available in local clinics, to better serve patients with chronic illnesses such as diabetes. Additionally, local hospitals will join the program to provide services by the end of August.
NHIA's Department of Medical Affairs Director Liu Lin-yi (劉林義) stated that the government has been running the family physicians system in local clinics for over 20 years, offering integrated care for patients with various chronic conditions. However, he noted that over 4,000 patients still prefer to visit hospitals rather than local clinics, potentially missing out on these benefits.
To address this, the government has allocated NT$3.5 billion (US$106.9 million) this year to integrate local hospitals into the program. According to Lin, doctors in these hospitals will provide proactive services, including health education, vaccination reminders, cancer screenings, adult health check-ups, a 24-hour consultation hotline, and more.