Taiwan Healthcare Guide: Essential Info for Doctor and Hospital Visits 🇹🇼

A Recent Hospitalization Experience in Taipei

Recently, a member of our family had to be hospitalized for dental surgery here in Taipei. Right away, we noticed some unique aspects of how the hospitalization process works in Taiwan, so we wanted to share them in this blog post.

We sincerely hope you won’t need this information during your time in Taiwan! But just in case, we’ve compiled it with the simple goal of helping you understand how to access Taiwan’s healthcare system.

Important Note: This is generalized information, and every clinic or hospital may have its own specific regulations. Always check official websites for confirmation.

診所 Zhěnsuǒ - Clinics

If you’re dealing with something like a cold, flu, stomach issues, skin problems, etc., you can simply go to one of the many local clinics found in every neighborhood.

Clinics are everywhere in Taiwanese cities!

• Usually, you don’t need an appointment. Just show up and present your NHI card.

  The NHI card is essential for any medical service, but you can also choose to pay out-of-pocket (自費 zìfèi).

NHI Card 健保卡 Jiànbǎo kǎ

• If you forget your NHI card, you may be asked to pay a deposit. You’ll receive a receipt that allows you to claim reimbursement if you return within the clinic’s specified time frame.

  
  

• In winter or flu season, expect longer waits—but even then, waiting times in Taiwan are typically shorter than in many other countries.

  
  

• Cost: NT$150–200 per consultation, paid before seeing the doctor.

  
  

• Process:

  • You’ll be given a number, and when called, you go to the doctor.

  • Sometimes, staff may first record your temperature, weight, and height to determine correct medication dosages.

  • If you miss your number (you were not at the clinic when they called your number), let the staff know. They usually call two numbers "by order" and allow one “late” catch-up slot.

  • After your consultation, the pharmacist will usually give you the prescribed medicine directly at the clinic. Sometimes, the pharmacy is next door or just down the street. Occasionally, certain medicines may require an extra fee.

    
    

醫院 Yī yuàn - Hospital

For more serious cases, you’ll need to go to a hospital—either to the emergency department or to specialized outpatient clinics at scheduled times. Check hospital websites or apps to book appointments.

At arrival, insert your NHI card into the check-in machines outside the consultation rooms. Wait until the green light appears, remove your card, and your name will show up on the waiting list.

Check-in machines outside consultation rooms

急診 jí zhěn - (ER) Emergency Room

急診 Jízhěn – Emergency Rooms

Typical emergency room process:

1. Registration (掛號, guàhào): Take a number, present your NHI card, and register at the admission counter.

2. Nursing triage (分級檢傷, fēnjí jiǎnshāng): A nurse evaluates vital signs, symptoms, and urgency, and assigns a triage level.

3. Waiting area: The wait depends on urgency and specialist availability (e.g. dental emergency, pediatrics), not just arrival order.

4. Medical consultation & initial treatment: This may include physical exams, lab tests, or imaging. For imaging, you’ll be given a receipt to proceed to the designated area.

   • Hospitals in Taiwan can feel like a maze! But floor color codes/signage and volunteer guides make navigation easier.

5. Decision: Doctors decide if hospitalization is needed or if you can go home.

6. Payment & discharge/admission: Pay fees at the admission counter, get receipts for medicine, and pick up prescriptions at the designated emergency pharmacy window. If hospitalization is required, arrangements are made for transfer to a ward.

   
   
   
   

住院 Zhùyuàn - Hospitalization

If hospitalization is required, here’s the process:

1. Doctor’s admission order (住院單, zhùyuàn dān).

2. Admission counter: Take a number for “入院,” present your NHI card and admission form. Staff will provide documents for your assigned room.

3. Bed assignment: Options depend on availability:

   • Shared room (3–6 beds) → fully covered by NHI.

   • Double room → sometimes free, sometimes extra cost.

   • Private room → extra cost.If no beds are available, you’re put on a waiting list.

4. Orientation: Nurses explain hospital rules, visiting hours, patient ID wristband, required tests, services included/not included (e.g. meals for patients vs. family). Volunteers may guide you to testing areas.

   
   

During hospitalization:

• Medical team continues diagnosis and treatment.

• Bills are updated daily. Additional medicine/procedure costs require signed consent.

Important Nursing Note: Nursing care in Taiwan is excellent, but often very different from Western systems. Nurses mainly handle technical tasks (injections, blood draws, wound care, monitoring, etc.). Patient care: feeding, hygiene, companionship is usually the family caregiver’s role. Nurses supervise and advise, but family participation is essential.

If no family is available, limited staff assistance may be provided, but it must be requested in advance.

Visiting hours: Official rules exist, but in practice, hours are often flexible. Family caregiver frequently stays overnight with patients.

Meals: Patients must request meals upon admission. Many families bring food or buy it from the hospital cafeteria. Options vary (low-salt, low-oil, diabetic-friendly, etc.).

Hospital facilities: Many hospitals in Taipei have large food courts, pharmacies, bookstores, convenience stores, hair salons, and even karaoke booths!

Technology: Hospitals rely heavily on electronic medical records, automated systems, and apps for lab results and treatment info.

Language: In major cities, most doctors speak basic/intermediate English. Nurses usually speak little or none, which can make communication harder for foreigners. In smaller cities, consider having an interpreter or family member help out with translations.

Discharge Process (辦理出院)

• Doctor authorizes discharge. Nurse notifies you in person or by phone.

• Discharge report and aftercare summary provided.

• Go to the admission/payment counter to process discharge, pay the final balance, and receive prescriptions if needed.

• Taiwan’s NHI covers some of the hospitalization and consultations. Extras (private rooms, elective treatments, uncovered meds) are billed separately.

• Ask for stamped receipts if you need them for private insurance.

  
  
  
  

  We hope this information is useful!

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