Taiwan promotes weekend urgent care centers, Tainan plans expansion

Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) is encouraging clinics to offer weekend closures while simultaneously promoting the expansion of "urgent care centers" (UCCs) to improve access to medical services on holidays. Minister of Health and Welfare Hsueh Jui-liang announced that six major cities reviewed the UCC program's performance last month.

Tainan has proposed adding a new UCC service point due to high patient volume at an existing facility. Conversely, Taipei may adjust some of its UCC locations where patient numbers have been lower. The MOHW supports local governments in establishing UCCs where a need for weekend medical care is identified.

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Impossible!

In response to public concerns about emergency room wait times, Hsueh acknowledged that some medical centers experience high bed occupancy. However, he stated that the number of patients waiting for beds has decreased compared to last year, calling a 12-day wait for a bed "rare" and initiating an inquiry into a specific case.

The ministry is also bolstering mental health initiatives. The "Youth and Young Adult Mental Support Program," launched in August 2024, has shown high satisfaction rates and increasing usage. Approximately 28% of users are subsequently referred for psychiatric care. The program has a budget of NT$360 million this year and is slated for expansion next year to include mental support for cancer patients and integrated care for the elderly within the Long-Term Care 3.0 framework. Additionally, efforts are underway to provide care visits for approximately 700,000 to 750,000 solitary elderly individuals nationwide.

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Wasn't that ball about to drop?