《TAIPEI TIMES》Telemedicine rule changes expected in April

TELEMEDICINE EFFECTS: The health minister said that the amendments would put remote programs under the control of the NHI, for which local clinics are favored

By Lin Hui-chin, Hsieh Chun-lin and Jake Chung / Staff reporters, with staff writer

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Proposed changes to the Rules of Medical Diagnosis and Treatment by Telecommunications （通訊診察治療辦法）, which are expected to take effect in April, affecting about 7 million people, would not impact business at health clinics, Minister of Health and Welfare Hsueh Jui-yuan （薛瑞元） said yesterday.

Remote treatment of chronic illnesses is covered by projects that fall under the National Health Insurance （NHI） and would continue to be handled by local clinics, while remote diagnosis and treatment at hospitals would be paid out of pocket, Hsueh said.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare late last year proposed the amendment, which would allow local hospitals and clinics to provide remote services to elderly people and people with chronic illnesses.

The amendment drew significant criticism from clinics, who said that its implementation would push most people with chronic conditions to go to hospitals with more funding and resources.

Doctors at clinics have criticized the phrasing of the proposed rules for medication and the long-term care of people with chronic conditions, saying that if they are not clarified, hospitals would also offer such services, which might mean people would go to hospitals rather than clinics.

After discussions with hospitals and clinics, the consensus was that the amendments would put remote diagnosis and treatment for people with chronic conditions under the control of NHI programs, for which local clinics are the go-to treatment centers, Hsueh said yesterday.

People who are covered by such programs, but still want to use remote services provided by hospitals, would not be covered by the NHI, he said.

The NHI is also implementing a project to help upgrade equipment at clinics, primarily their capability to connect to the Health Information System, he said.

How pharmaceutical logistics would work under such a system is being assessed, Hsueh said.

The changes to the regulations would be announced by the middle of this month and could be implemented in April, he added.

Separately, NHI Administration Director Shih Chung-liang （石崇良） said that remote diagnoses currently apply to follow-ups within three months after a person has been hospitalized for an acute medical condition, those at long-term healthcare facilities, people cared for by a family doctor, government-approved home-stay patients and international patients.

More categories for remote diagnosis and treatment, including care for people with late-stage acute diseases, chronic diseases and terminal diseases, as well as care for people with physical disabilities or those affected by disasters, infectious diseases or other incidents, are expected to be made available, Shih said.

In related news, the National Health Insurance Administration said yesterday that it would add nine medicines, including six cancer treatments, to the list of prescription drugs covered by the National Health Insurance, starting next month.

The extended coverage would benefit more than 2,000 Taiwanese, saving each person NT$620,000 to NT$3.19 million per year, it said.

The cancer drugs include immunotherapy treatment for recurrent head and neck squamous cell cancer, squamous lung cancer, breast cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukemia and NTRK fusion cancer, agency Deputy Director-General Tsai Shu-ling （蔡淑鈴） said.

The new treatments also include severe beta thalassemia and progressive fibrosing interstitial lung disease drugs, she said.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES