This open access book introduces the National Health Insurance (NHI) system of Taiwan with a
particular emphasis on its application of digital technology to improve healthcare access and
quality. The authors explicate how Taiwan integrates its strong Information and Communications
Technology (ICT) industry with 5G to construct an information system that facilitates medical
information exchange collects data for planning and research refines medical claims review
procedures and even assists in fighting COVID-19. Taiwan's NHI launched in 1995 is a
single-payer system funded primarily through payroll-based premiums. It covers all citizens and
foreign residents with the same comprehensive benefits without the long waiting times seen in
other single-payer systems. Though premium rate adjustment and various reforms were carried out
in 2010 the NHI finds itself at a crossroads over its financial stability. With the
advancement of technologies and an aging population it faces challenges of expanding coverage
to newly developed treatments and diagnosis methods and applying the latest innovations to
deliver telemedicine and more patient-centered services. The NHI like the national health
systems of other countries also needs to address the privacy concerns of the personal health
data it collects and the issues regarding opening this data for research or commercial use. In
this book the 12 chapters cover the history characteristics current status innovations and
future reform plans of the NHI in the digital era. Topics explored include: Income Strategy
Payment Structure Pursuing Health Equity Infrastructure of the Medical Information System
Innovative Applications of the Medical Information Applications of Big Data and Artificial
Intelligence Digital Health Care in Taiwan is essential reading for academic researchers and
students in healthcare administration health policy health systems research and health
services delivery as well as policymakers and public officials in relevant government
departments. It also would appeal to academics practitioners and other professionals in
public health health sciences social welfare and health and biotechnology law.
