As Taiwan approaches a super-aged society next year, the Long-Term Care (LTC) 3.0 policy aims to integrate long-term care with healthcare. Minister of Health and Welfare Chiu Tai-Yuan stated that 26 MOHW-affiliated hospitals have, in recent years, combined community, healthcare, and long-term care systems. These efforts link preventive health at the front end with palliative care at the back end, advancing holistic care services based on community-integrated care models.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) today released a new book, Public Healthcare Leading Long-Term Care: Practical Models of Integration by Ministry-Affiliated Hospitals, becoming the first government body to publish a practical guide on integrating healthcare with long-term care. The book compiles experiences from multiple MOHW-affiliated hospitals and aims to serve as a reference for public hospitals to implement localized aging-in-place initiatives and achieve a healthier Taiwan.
Lin Chin-Feng, Executive Director of the Hospital and Social Welfare Organizations Administration Commission, MOHW, highlighted that 26 affiliated hospitals have successfully integrated healthcare and long-term care services, developing diverse one-stop service models. Among them, 12 hospitals are participating in the "Residential Care Facility Public Resource Subsidy Program," aiming to establish 14 residential care facilities by 2029, offering a total of 1,900 beds.
Deputy Executive Director Yuh-Wei Wang added that as long-term care evolved from version 1.0 to 2.0, the number of service recipients increased from 500,000 to 700,000. Under LTC 3.0, this number will continue to expand, with future policies focusing on day care centers, home-based medical care, and in-home palliative care.
Chen Chieh-Ju, Deputy Chairperson of the Taiwan Social Welfare League, emphasized that LTC 3.0 must integrate social welfare with healthcare to achieve seamless coordination and person-centered care rooted in community-based systems. She noted that current connections between hospitals and social welfare organizations remain insufficient and urged policymakers to involve social welfare representatives in future planning discussions.
Wei-Ming Chen, Chairperson of the Public Hospital Association, remarked that public hospitals prioritize service over profit. He underscored their vital role as Taiwan’s most reliable healthcare backbone, from administering vaccines to conducting screenings during the pandemic. As Taiwan transitions into a super-aged society, public hospitals are committed to realizing the vision of a healthy Taiwan.
Minister Chiu Tai-Yuan recalled that the Executive Yuan approved the Long-Term Care Ten-Year Plan in 2007, which was later expanded into "LTC 2.0" in 2017. Currently, long-term care services cover 80% of nationwide demand. Under President Lai Ching-Te’s leadership, the government is upgrading efforts to implement "LTC 3.0," aiming to enhance both the quality and quantity of services, broaden their scope, and create an integrated system encompassing home care, community care, and social welfare.
This all-encompassing support system aspires to meet the diverse needs of long-term care recipients, ensuring that seniors with disabilities or dementia receive comprehensive, dignified care. The ultimate goal is to fulfill the vision of a healthy Taiwan through "aging in place," "home-based healthcare," and "joyful aging."
Resource: 醫療結合長照 長照3.0部立醫院拚住宿式長照達近兩千床
