Public Hospital Crisis: Chen Zhihong Proposes 3 Solutions, Chen Weiming Urges Talent Retention Reform

Central News Agency Report

(CNA reporter Shen Pei-yao, Taipei, 13th) The Public Hospitals Association held a symposium today, where Chen Zhihong, Vice Convener of the Presidential Office's Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee, proposed three solutions: quality, talent, and innovation. Taipei Veterans General Hospital's President Chen Weiming urged the government to relax talent retention regulations and safeguard healthcare in remote areas, emphasizing the protection of Healthy Taiwan.

Public hospitals are facing unprecedented operational challenges. The Republic of China Public Hospitals Association and Taipei Veterans General Hospital jointly hosted a symposium today titled 'Development Challenges and Response Strategies for Public Hospitals,' inviting representatives from multiple government ministries and the five major public hospital systems to engage in dialogue.

In his keynote speech titled 'Challenges and Opportunities for Public Hospitals—Reflections from My Public Service Career,' Chen Zhihong pointed out that public hospitals are at a critical juncture involving territorial restructuring, balancing medical resources between northern and southern Taiwan, and transitioning to operational fund management.

To address these challenges, Chen Zhihong proposed three prescriptions: First, 'Quality,' emphasizing that accurate medical care is the most cost-effective care. Second, 'Talent,' advocating that surplus revenues should be prioritized for talent recruitment and retention. Third, 'Innovation,' leveraging the 'Healthy Taiwan Deepening Program' to solve local healthcare issues.

Chen Zhihong also outlined a 'three-track funding' blueprint for the future development of public hospitals: public budgets to secure public missions, operational funds to support daily operations, and special government project funding to drive innovation and research. The 'Healthy Taiwan Deepening Program,' with a five-year budget of NT$48.9 billion, exemplifies this approach.

Chen Weiming, President of Taipei Veterans General Hospital and Chairman of the Public Hospitals Association, frankly admitted that public hospitals are severely impacted by Taiwan's super-aging society and low birthrate, resulting in acute personnel shortages. He noted that current personnel and salary systems limit their competitiveness in talent acquisition.

Chen Weiming emphasized that public hospitals should implement a 'different work, different pay' system to rationalize salaries and retain critical care professionals. He urged the government to promptly relax relevant regulations and grant hospitals greater financial and incentive flexibility.

Regarding rural healthcare, Chen Weiming pointed out that 'lighthouse hospitals' in remote areas face severe financial difficulties and cannot be sustained by National Health Insurance revenues alone. He recommended that the government allocate stable public budgets to support public hospitals in fulfilling their public missions, ensuring equitable access to healthcare and keeping the medical lighthouses in remote regions shining forever. (Edited by Chen Jen-hua) 1150613