TAITUNG COUNTY ASKS GOVT. FOR MORE DOCTORS|台東偏鄉醫師荒 醫界向衛福部長要人力

According to statistics, in Taiwan there are an average of 18 practicing medics for every 10,000 people. Taitung County alone, with the population of 220,000, there are only 13 practicing medics for every 10,000 people which can have serious implications for patient care. Therefore, Taitung County Medical Association urges the government to provide more medical personnel and resources to Taitung. Minister Chen Shih-chung of Health and Welfare paid his first visit to a long term care and medical service in Taitung County. Although every visiting minister promised to improve medical facilities and services, but Taitung County remains the place with most scarce medical resources in Taiwan. ==CHU CHIEN-MING Chairman, Taitung County Medical Assn.== Our Taitung really need a medical center. According to official statistics, Taitung County has a population of 220,000, only 13 physicians serving every 10,000 people, far below the national average of 18. The telemedicine promoted for years has been limited by health laws, facilities and national health insurance. Therefore the outcome is unsatisfactory to Taitung residents. ==HSIN CHIN-HSIANG Dir., Taitung County Public Health Bureau== We're promoting the only telemedicine, sorry to say, only Daren Township. == CHEN SHIH-CHUNG Minister of Health and Welfare== If the future, I think we should create a pilot project for telemedicine, make a breakthrough on regulations. Based on needs of remote area and fulfill thier needs. In order to improve medical service quality in Taitung, it would be more effective to increase the number of medical specialists, but till now, 30 are vacant. Several medical doctors requested Minister Chen for finding a solution to keep medical specialists staying in Taitung. TRANSLATED BY: ANTHONY LIN 台東醫療資源缺乏，設備和人力補不足，全國平均每萬人大約有18位醫師人力，但台東縣22萬多人口，每萬人才有13位左右的醫師，台東縣醫界向前來視察的 衛福部長陳時中、要求增加醫療人力。 衛福部部長陳時中，上任第一次到台東縣視察長期照顧和醫療服務，由於歷任部長到台東視察醫療，承諾會改善，但是台東縣到現在還是全國醫療資源最缺乏的地區。 ==台東縣醫師公會理事長 朱建銘== 我們台東真的需要醫學中心 衛生局統計，台東縣有22萬多人口，平均每萬人只有13位醫師，遠低於全國每萬人有18位醫師的醫療服務，政府在台東縣推展多年的遠距醫療又受限醫事法、設備和健保給付規定，根本不能滿足民眾需求。 ==台東縣衛生局長 辛進祥== 我們現在唯一在推遠距醫療 能夠通的 不好意思啦 就只有達仁這一條線 ==衛福部長 陳時中== 未來我想遠距醫療 我們來想一個試辦計畫 法令做一些突破 根據我們偏遠的需要 我們來滿足這樣的需要 要提昇台東醫療品質，還是增加專科醫師人力比較有效，不過台東縣一直要不到專科醫師，目前還缺30位醫師。台東醫界向陳時中請求，希望能突破法令限制，幫台東縣找出留住醫師的辦法。 記者 章明哲 台東報導