As of 9am on March 1, data from this department’s emergency medical care system (EMS) shows that 52 empty intensive care beds have been add to hospitals across the nation. There are now 1001 beds (281 beds in the Taipei area, 108 beds in northern Taiwan, 241 beds in central Taiwan, 137 beds in southern Taiwan, 186 beds in the Kaohsiung/Pingtung area, and 48 beds in eastern Taiwan). There are three fewer respirators available compared to yesterday, but 385 are still available (21 in the Taipei area, 48 in northern Taiwan, 137 in central Taiwan, 65 in southern Taiwan, 110 in Kaohsiung/Pingtung area, and 4 in eastern Taiwan). 

This afternoon the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Departments of Health from local governments convened the “Video Conference on Coordinating Emergency Rooms to Avoid Congestion and to Respond to the Influenza Epidemic.” The meeting resolution states that the central government will work with local health agencies to try to prevent influenza and solve emergency room congestion. The Department of Health will counsel and assist with the dispatch of intensive care units, manpower, and emergency response beds in emergency responsibility hospitals in their jurisdiction. The objective is to preserve emergency care resources and avoid affecting other emergency medical services. 

This department’s EMS data is provided by individual emergency responsibility hospitals. This ensures that the EMS information is complete and accurate, and can help each hospital successfully make transfers. If the system shows there are empty intensive care beds, but transfer is denied because no empty beds are available, then the Department of Health with jurisdiction will intervene and determine the situation. The Department of Health will continue to counsel emergency responsibility hospitals in their jurisdiction regarding the addition of influenza outpatient service during the peak of the influenza outbreak. The Department of Health will also help with the dissemination of information regarding the diversion of patients with mild injuries (Class 4 or Class 5 patients), which can help to prevent congestion in medical facility emergency rooms. The Ministry of Health and Welfare, emergency medical care response centers (REMOC) from different areas, and the Department of Health from different counties and cities fully support measures to coordinate and adjust the number of intensive care beds. 

The Ministry of Health and Welfare calls on the public to value existing valuable emergency medical care resources. Unless necessary, please do not use these resources and save them for those that need them the most. We urge the public to cooperate with hospitals in seeking medical care elsewhere, which can relieve the congestion of emergency bed waiting lines. For people with light influenza symptoms, visit basic medical clinics first. If symptoms become severe and the patient needs to be transferred, this department can recommend 82 Intermediate and 36 Advanced Emergency Responsibility Hospitals across the nation (for a list of medical facilities, please visit the Ministry of Health and Welfare official website’s (www.mohw.gov.tw) Department of Medical Affairs/emergency medical care/hospital emergency medical care capability classification/2015 emergency responsibility hospital listing search).