Progress made in digital healthcare
The ECCT’s Healthcare Sustainability committee has reported progress on the issue raised in its position papers, namely “Alleviating the disease burden through prevention measures and precision health – Constructing a sustainable environment to incubate a digital healthcare industry”. Firstly, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) established an advisory committee on digital healthcare in 2022 to promote the development of digital healthcare and AI applications. In addition, the regulation of “Rules of Medical Diagnosis and Treatment by Telecommunications” was revised in 2023. The regulatory changes added five categories of patients that may be treated remotely, namely patients with chronic diseases, terminal illnesses, those in correctional institutional care, the disabled, and those with infectious diseases. The regulation conditionally allows doctors to provide medical services to patients remotely, including consultations, psychological treatment, prescriptions, and inspections. Furthermore, the first AI medical sensor has been included in the NHI benefit system since 1 July 2023. It is considered to be safer for patients, more clinically effective and less expensive.