Population aging and its impacts: strategies of the health-care system in Taipei.
Taiwan is one of the fastest aging countries in the world. As such, the government has developed various strategies to promote an age-friendly health-care system. Health services are supported by National Health Insurance (NHI), which insures over 97% of citizens and over 99% of health-care institutes. The current health-care system has difficulties in caring for older patients with multiple comorbidities, complex care needs, functional impairments, and post-acute care needs. Taipei, an international metropolis with a well-preserved tradition of filial piety in Chinese societies, has developed various strategies to overcome the aforementioned barriers to an age-friendly health-care system. These include an emphasis on general medical care and a holistic approach in all specialties, development of a geriatrics specialty training program, development of post-acute services, and strengthening of linkages between health and social care services. Despite achievements thus far, challenges still include creating a more extensive integration between medical specialties, promotion of an interdisciplinary care model across specialties and health-care settings, and integration of health and social care services. The experiences of Taipei in developing an age-friendly health-care service system may be a culturally appropriate model for other Chinese and Asian communities.
Lin
Ming-Hsien
MH
Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No 201, Sec 2, Shih Pai Road, Taipei 11217, Taiwan.
Chou
Ming-Yueh
MY
Liang
Chih-Kuang
CK
Peng
Li-Ning
LN
Chen
Liang-Kung
LK
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D006291:Health Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends*; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D011157:Population Dynamics; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology