Tri-Service General Hospital

The Tri-Service General Hospital, originally the 801 Army General Hospital, was established in 1946, and evolved from the Taiwan Army Hospital, Fifth Logistics General Hospital, First Army, Navy, and Air Force General Hospital, and First Army General Hospital respectively. In May 1968, are organization took place and the Tri-Service General Hospital came into being; the hospital then moved from its original location at Xiao Nanmen (Little South Gate) to No. 8, Tingjhou Road Section 3, Taipei, starting a new era in military medicine. Currently, the Tri-Service General Hospital (TSGH) is a teaching hospital under the jurisdiction of the National Defense Medical Center that provides clinical treatment to military servicemen on active duty, patients with medical insurance, and the general public, while it also conducts training and research. For many years it has been rated by the Department of Health as a first rate teaching hospital on the level of a medical center. In order to cope with a rapidly changing medical environment and to improve and develop military medical education and operations, it was decided to centralize both in one facility in the Neihu District of Taipei under the name of National Defense Medical Center (NDMC). The move to this facility, construction of which began in January 1990 and was completed in April 2000, and which covers an area of 43 hectares, took place in November 2000.

After the move, even though the hospital faced streamlining of the army after which the number of employees (including employed civilians) totaled a mere 2,826, planning of medical resources was based on the accommodation of 1,712 beds and a demand of a daily average of 5,000 outpatients, 250 emergency patients and 2,000 inpatients. In addition, aerospace medicine, undersea medicine and nuclear radiation injury prevention were included in the scope of service.

The brand new National Defense Medical Center does not only meet the demands of the 21st century in terms of architecture and facilities, environmental protection (processing of waste water, gas and material) also conforms to the latest regulations. Administrative management of the hospital, in particular of nursing and pharmaceutical affairs, has been computerized, and in order to serve the large number of patients, each year outstanding members of the hospital’s medical team are given the opportunity to acquire the latest knowledge and skills from medical centers worldwide. At the same time, seeking to continuously improve medical treatment and keep up with the future development of the respective departments, the hospital continues to purchase modern medical equipment and has established a PET center, Women Health Center, Hemophilia Care & Research Center and Traditional Chinese Medicine Department. Thus, through improvement and modernization of hardware and software, the Tri-Service General Hospital aims to enhance the quality of medical services provided to the military, their families and civilians with medical insurance, as well as its operational proficiency.

The short-term objective of the Tri-Service General Hospital is to realize ambulatory care and problem-oriented education. In order to introduce a new system conform to Western medicine, the training of medical professionals and organization of international seminars on clinical medicine have been set as long-term goals, and it is expected that with its base in Taiwan and its view onto the world, the Tri-Service General Hospital will be able to fortify its leading position in the medical world of Taiwan and evolve into a medical center of international ranking.

With regard to medical research, the Tri-Service General Hospital is rated by Academia Sinica as one of the three largest centers for clinical medicine in Taiwan. In addition to performing research in conjunction with both local and international academic research institutes (such as the National Health Research Institute), and excelling in the field of cancer research, in recent year emphasis has been placed on the development of military medicine research. The achievements made in research are utilized in teaching and medical services, while through medical ethics education an endeavor is made to strengthen doctor-patient relationships, in recompense for the military and general public and so as to set an example for other military hospitals. With a spirit that constantly aspires self-improvement, the Tri-Service General Hospital continues to engage in and enhance medical research and medical ethics education so as to elevate the overall level of medical care. The brand new Tri-Service General Hospital that provides whole-hearted service will thus become the primary choice of the public seeking medical care.