Typhoon holiday disrupts critical surgery, hospital chief laments 'hospitals fear holidays most'

A patient's critical surgery was postponed due to a typhoon holiday, sparking outrage from the patient's family who protested at the Taipei City Government. The patient, who has a tumor near vital blood vessels, was scheduled for surgery on July 10th but it was delayed by over 24 days because Taipei announced a day off for Typhoon Bawu.

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The most feared holiday for medical units is the typhoon holiday.

Taipei Veterans General Hospital Superintendent Chen Wei-ming expressed that typhoon holidays are a major concern for medical facilities. He acknowledged the patient's severe condition and the hospital's efforts to expedite treatment, even arranging for additional staff on a humanitarian basis. However, he explained that such complex surgeries require the coordinated effort of an entire medical team, not just a single operating room or surgeon.

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We have been trying our best to arrange it, but I can understand his feelings, we must put ourselves in his shoes.

Chen stated that the hospital has been working to reschedule the surgery, which is expected to be completed next week. He empathized with the patient's family's frustration, noting that the hospital had already explained the situation to the health bureau. As a national hospital, Taipei Veterans General Hospital serves patients from across Taiwan, many of whom are admitted in advance for scheduled treatments and surgeries.

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We have been trying our best to arrange it, but I can understand his feelings, we must put ourselves in his shoes.

The sudden announcement of typhoon holidays disrupted numerous planned procedures. Chen mentioned that even he stayed at the hospital to help manage waiting patients and that many surgeries were performed during the holiday, albeit with limitations due to staffing. He lamented that while the public might welcome a holiday, medical personnel face immense pressure and uncertainty about how to best care for their patients. The disruption affects not only scheduled surgeries and follow-up appointments for over 10,000 daily outpatients but also complicates preparations for procedures like colonoscopies and endoscopies, exacerbating existing challenges posed by medical staff shortages.

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We have been trying our best to arrange it, but I can understand his feelings, we must put ourselves in his shoes.