COVID-19 has spiked in Taiwan in the past three weeks, leading to the shutdown of schools and many businesses and to people staying at home to prevent the further spread of the disease. That has posed a dilemma for people with chronic illnesses who need access to care but fear that visiting a hospital that treats COVID-19 patients could be risky, even for an outpatient visit.
To resolve that dilemma, the National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) introduced a "virtual medical treatment service" at designated medical centers, hospitals and clinics across Taiwan on May 20, soon after a Level 3 COVID-19 alert was put in place on May 17. The service, which provides remote care via video conferencing or telephone, targets outpatients with chronic diseases or people in need of outpatient services, the NHIA said in a recent statement.
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