Clipping Board » Medical Affairs and Administration ─ Medical system, pharmaceuticals, and medical community-related reports
2010-03-12 China Times, Reporter Zhang Cuifen / Taipei Report
The Bureau of National Health Insurance will crack down on massages not performed by licensed Chinese medicine practitioners, refusing to cover such services. The Department of Health also demanded that folk therapy services be completely removed from medical institutions. On the 11th, the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Associations of four counties and cities in the Taipei region launched a petition, calling for the protection of the employment rights of the current 3,000 to 4,000 Chinese medicine orthopedic assistants and the establishment of a proper examination and employment system to regulate these assistants.
The Department of Health yesterday agreed to implement a "sunset clause," requiring medical institutions with existing folk therapy sections to register with the local health bureau by March 3. After this date, no new folk therapy sections will be allowed in Chinese medicine clinics.
The Department of Health considers folk therapy not a medical practice and issued a directive on March 3 prohibiting Chinese medicine clinics from setting up folk therapy sections. This regulation threatens the livelihoods of thousands of Chinese medicine orthopedic assistants. Yesterday, the chairpersons of the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Associations of Taipei City (Chen Chaozong), Taipei County (Zhang Jingyao), Keelung City (Gan Qingliang), and Yilan County (acting chairperson Xue Wenchao) held a joint petition press conference.
The four major associations urged the Department of Health to revoke the previous announcement, taking into account public interests and the livelihoods of practitioners. Shi Chongliang, Director of the Department of Medical Affairs under the Department of Health, stated that medical institutions should only be operated by medical professionals. Folk therapy is not a medical practice, and having both medical and folk therapy sections in hospitals could mislead the public.
However, to accommodate the current situation, the Department of Health agreed to implement a sunset clause as a transitional measure. Institutions with pre-existing folk therapy sections that are physically separated can continue operations after registering with the health bureau and will be brought under management, but no new folk therapy sections will be permitted in Chinese medicine clinics.
Source: http:/ / life. chinatimes. com/ 2……0302+112010031200075,00. html
No New Folk Therapy Areas in TCM Hospitals
The Bureau of National Health Insurance will crack down on massages not performed by licensed Chinese medicine practitioners, refusing to cover such services. The Department of Health also demanded that folk therapy services be completely removed from medical institutions. On the 11th, the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Associations of four counties and cities in the Taipei region launched a petition, calling for the protection of the employment rights of the current 3,000 to 4,000 Chinese medicine orthopedic assistants and the establishment of a proper examination and employment system to regulate these assistants.
The Department of Health yesterday agreed to implement a "sunset clause," requiring medical institutions with existing folk therapy sections to register with the local health bureau by March 3. After this date, no new folk therapy sections will be allowed in Chinese medicine clinics.
The Department of Health considers folk therapy not a medical practice and issued a directive on March 3 prohibiting Chinese medicine clinics from setting up folk therapy sections. This regulation threatens the livelihoods of thousands of Chinese medicine orthopedic assistants. Yesterday, the chairpersons of the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Associations of Taipei City (Chen Chaozong), Taipei County (Zhang Jingyao), Keelung City (Gan Qingliang), and Yilan County (acting chairperson Xue Wenchao) held a joint petition press conference.
The four major associations urged the Department of Health to revoke the previous announcement, taking into account public interests and the livelihoods of practitioners. Shi Chongliang, Director of the Department of Medical Affairs under the Department of Health, stated that medical institutions should only be operated by medical professionals. Folk therapy is not a medical practice, and having both medical and folk therapy sections in hospitals could mislead the public.
However, to accommodate the current situation, the Department of Health agreed to implement a sunset clause as a transitional measure. Institutions with pre-existing folk therapy sections that are physically separated can continue operations after registering with the health bureau and will be brought under management, but no new folk therapy sections will be permitted in Chinese medicine clinics.
Source: http:/ / life. chinatimes. com/ 2……0302+112010031200075,00. html