IT application for health services in Taiwan

The strategies of health IT development including “electronic circulation of health information from the birth to the agedness” and “improvement of health care knowledge and capability of people by IT technology” were employed to meet the goal of national health policies, “humanitarian health care”. Taiwan government proposed “National Health Informatics Project, NHIP” in 2007, and planed to invest 2.1 billion New Taiwan Dollars in four-year period from 2008 to 2011. The government will lead to build up the environment for the exchange of health information and the important infrastructure for health and medical care informatics, and allow medical care circle to well use IT technology while delivering services. What have been achieved in past few years includes the use of the National Health Insurance IC Card, amending Medical Care Act to legalize electronic medical records, promulgating the regulations governing the making and management of electronic medical records, the set up of Healthcare Certification Authority to issue the medical institution and personnel IC card with electronic signature, encryption and real-time stamp function, and promoting international standards on medical care information such as HL7, DICOM and so on. These achievements provide a solid foundation for the development of Taiwan health informatics.