Original Article
Preparedness and Contingency Responses of Healthcare System to COVID-19 in Taiwan, 2020
DOI: 10.6525/TEB.202008_36(16).0001Chiu-Hsia Su1, Yi-Chun Lo1, Chung-Liang Shih2, Po-Chang Lee3, Pi-Sheng Wang4, Jui-Yuan Hsueh5*
2020 Vol.36 NO.16
Correspondence Author： Jui-Yuan Hsueh5*
- 1Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan
- 2Department of Medical Affairs, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan
- 3National Health Insurance Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan
- 4Hospital and Social Welfare Organizations Administration Commission, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan
- 5Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan
Abstract：
The outbreak of pneumonia caused by novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China began at the end of 2019. World Health Organization named the virus as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Afterwards, the pandemic of COVID-19 hit countries worldwide and outbreaks of healthcare-associated infection occurred. The pandemic of COVID-19 is a rigorous challenge to public health and healthcare system in Taiwan. To strengthen the preparedness and response capacity of healthcare system, Taiwan developed 10 contingency strategies for healthcare facilities, long-term care facilities, and laboratories, to reach three major goals: “mitigation of the transmission”, “maintenance of the healthcare system operation”, and “reduction of severe and death cases”. The 10 contingency strategies included: (1) strengthening infection control and biosafety; (2) conducting un-notified on-site inspections and drills on medical responses; (3) tracing and identifying persons at-risk via National Health Insurance database; (4) implementing patient triage and decentralizing in-patients; (5) preparing response hospitals and designated wards; (6) constructing national testing networks; (7) monitoring capacity of healthcare system; (8) expanding capacity of quarantine places; (9) managing visitors to hospitals; and (10) monitoring health status of healthcare workers.
