To enhance medical accessibility in indigenous communities, the National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) commissioned Hsinchu MacKay Memorial Hospital to implement the Integrated Delivery System (IDS) Project in Wufeng Township, Hsinchu County, starting in 2002. This initiative includes establishing the Taoshan Public Health Office and providing mobile healthcare and home care services in the region. Additionally, in response to emerging innovative technologies, the NHIA and Hsinchu MacKay Memorial Hospital have collaborated to integrate telemedicine and virtual NHI cards into home healthcare, thereby facilitating the digitalization of medical services and creating a convenient model for medical consultations.
Since its implementation in 2019, approximately 700,000 people have applied for a virtual NHI card, according to the NHIA. With the establishment of telemedicine equipment, home healthcare, telemedicine and video consultations are introduced to patients' homes, therby creating a new model for accessing medical services. This approach allows patients to receive professional healthcare comparable to that provided in medical centers, all from the comfort of their homes, eliminating the need for travel and minimizing waiting times. This model significantly enhances medical accessibility and improves healthcare quality for the population.
The NHIA endeavors to achieve digital equality. Through public-private collaborations, the NHIA is able to bring integrated resources to indigenous communities to achieve medical access without distance and obstacles, eliminate healthcare inequality in indigenous communities, and initiate a new chapter in smart medicine.