Taiwan Telemedicine

Taiwan has amended the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s (MOHW) Rules of Medical Diagnosis and Treatment by Telecommunications, which took effect on July 1, 2024.  The amendments will add five special circumstances in which telemedicine will be permitted, as well as easing rules for issuing prescriptions and expand the types of healthcare services that can be provided virtually.

As telemedicine expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic and became a new normal in modern healthcare, regulations have been carefully modified to expand the special circumstances in which it might be used. Broadening the scope is expected to benefit up to 2.47 million people.  The five new special circumstances cover patients in chronic care programs, under hospice care, institutionalized at correctional agencies, under disability care or care for illness or injury from a disaster, or infectious diseases and other major incidents.

The revised telemedicine regulations in Taiwan are expected to boost the telemedicine market, which is projected to experience significant growth in the coming years. Industry estimates indicate that Taiwan’s telemedicine market will expand from USD 74.5 billion in 2023 to USD 476.5 billion by 2030, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.9%. This growth is driven by the increasing demand for remote healthcare services, advancements in digital health technologies, and broader acceptance of telemedicine among healthcare providers and patients.

The implementation of these revised regulations is likely to streamline telemedicine practices, enhance service delivery, and improve patient access to remote care. This regulatory support is anticipated to catalyze further investment and innovation in the sector, contributing to substantial market expansion in Taiwan.

In addition, MOHW is developing implementation measures, including those related to the digital National Health Insurance (NHI) card system, e-prescription system, drug delivery method and information security verification standards.

In summary, Taiwan’s telemedicine industry will continue to grow and demands for telemedicine tools related to optimization of digital NHI card system, e-prescription, drug delivery and information security verification standards will grow in the Taiwan market and will bring opportunities for U.S. companies. U.S. companies interested in introducing their telemedicine solutions in Taiwan may consider partnering with a local distributor to manage operations and support.  U.S. companies may also participate in local trade shows, such as 2024 Healthcare+ Expo (12/5-9) https://expo.taiwan-healthcare.org/en/. CS Taiwan can assist U.S. companies find local partners in Taiwan.

CONTACT
For additional information, please contact the U.S. Commercial Service in Taiwan, Grace Tao (Grace.Tao@trade.gov)