National Taiwan University Hospital emergency congestion

Following public scrutiny over an incident involving an elderly patient who died after waiting 12 days for a bed, National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) reported a decrease in emergency room congestion. NTUH President Yu Chung-jen noted that daily patient influx dropped from over 300 to approximately 250, attributing the change to spontaneous adjustments in patient behavior influenced by media coverage.

To address systemic issues and improve patient flow, NTUH has transitioned from observing patient behavior to implementing formal triage measures. The hospital released a “tiered medical care guidance” system developed by 256 physicians, which categorizes 1,067 common symptoms into four levels: emergency services, hospital outpatient clinics, community clinics, and self-care/observation. The hospital indicated that nearly 46% of these symptoms can be managed via self-care or local clinics.

Further initiatives include the launch of a medical consultation hotline on October 1 to provide preliminary assessments. NTUH has also proposed policy recommendations to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, including national-level guidance and health insurance reimbursement adjustments to encourage proper medical triage.