Chang Gung Memorial Hospital – Gold Winner of the Dr Kwang Tae Kim Grand Hospital Award

Chang Gung Memorial Hospital  clinches the Gold title for the Dr Kwang Tae Kim Grand Hospital Award at the 2024 IHF Awards

Forward-looking, accessible healthcare: the story of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital 

In an era where diseases and technologies continue to evolve and emerge, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (CGMH), Linkou, knows that research is the way to not get left behind. The hospital takes pride in promoting public health through the provision of cutting-edge medical services that were developed through advanced technology, talent cultivation, and innovative medical research. 

The hospital’s strong desire to become a leading centre for patient treatment of cancer and other emerging and critical diseases has so far attracted 4,600 researchers from across 110 countries and territories. Among these scholars, 29 belong to the World’s Top 2% Scientists List by Stanford University.   

As it strives for innovative medical practices through research, the hospital also advocates for accessible healthcare through its social service fund. CGMH Linkou has already allocated US$2.956 million annually in patient subsidies for low-income households and individuals with physical and mental disabilities. This has benefitted 600,000 patients each year from 2021 to 2023. The hospital also extended grants for special medical technology projects meant for vulnerable patients in areas related to cell therapy, cancer, rare disease care, and child care programmes. These programmes have been pursued to ensure that patients receive optimal medical care and support. 

Advancing patient care through innovation at CGMH Linkou

Delivering patient care is not just about innovative healthcare, but also ease of access through operational efficiency in the hospital. With this, CGMH Linkou integrated advanced technology into medical services. These include the hospital’s smart check-in panel, automatic uploading of physiological values of outpatients, operating room vehicle robot, smart drug dispensing station, smart medicine cabinet, smart haemodialysis, smart respiratory care, digital pathology, among others. Such initiatives resulted in improved staff efficiency that has saved the hospital over 377,000 hours annually. 

Healthcare providers had to respond to severe challenges because of COVID-19. CGMH Linkou learned from this situation faced by the global health sector. It pioneered Taiwan’s first Infection Control Committee (ICC) that tapped into using health information systems for reporting communicable diseases and surveying health-case associated infections. The hospital also became the first accredited Antimicrobial Stewardship Demonstration Center and Infection Control and Stewardship Excellence Center. In 2023, the hospital’s ICC received the National Healthcare Quality Award from Taiwan’s Ministry of Health as an affirmation of its work. 

Behind the scenes of delivering quality healthcare are the healthcare workers. CGMH Linkou strives to ensure that workers remain content by offering better compensation and welfare measures. The hospital’s 99.1% retention rate so far shows that workers are satisfied indeed. CGMH Linkou has invested US$1.367 million in employee health screenings from 2021 to 2023 to ensure workers remain fit and healthy as they deliver patient care. It also advocates for the pursuit of a healthy and fit lifestyle for its workers. It is in this light that it allotted US$5.24 million for ergonomic improvements during the same period. The hospital has also launched an employee health promotion exercise programme that has been attended by more than 160,000 participants since 2014. In 2022, its 707-square metre Employee Recreation Center was established as a space for employee fitness and exercise.  

Amid its commitment to its patients and workforce, the hospital understands the healthcare industry’s commitment to the bigger picture where everyone is a stakeholder – the environment. CGMH Linkou has already cut its carbon emissions by over 424 tons a year, backed by its digitization and paperless initiatives. It has also adopted energy-saving practices through managing greenhouse gases, energy, water resources, waste, and its green building. In recognition of their sustainability efforts, the hospital earned its ISO 50001 Energy Management System certification. Since 2015, all of its new buildings have been designed as “green buildings” and have received the “National Green Building Gold-level” certification. 

Moving forward, CGMH is committed to continue providing cutting-edge medical services and to focus more on smart healthcare. It has made strides to cultivate its workforce and innovative medical research, as it endeavours to promote public health that is efficient and accessible.