Introduction
Since 2006, Taiwan has promoted the "Economic Development Vision Sprint Plan," followed by the "Healthcare Value Enhancement Platinum Plan" in 2009, and further advanced the "Digital Nation Innovative Economic Development Plan (DIGI+)" in 2020. These initiatives aim to strengthen the national ICT development plan, expecting the healthcare industry to balance the distribution of domestic medical resources through smart digital transformation and talent optimization, while continuously improving the quality of healthcare and enhancing public health.
In fact, the healthcare industry has become an essential element of emerging industries in national development. The industry is entering an era of highly interoperable digital data exchange and an open, secure platform-driven digital transformation, which continues to lead rapid development in the industry, creating related industry value chains.
According to a survey on the supply and demand of PhD-level tech talent in key industries in Taiwan, the median number of PhD employees in the biomedical industry is 2.27, which is the highest among all industries. This shows a clear demand for PhD-level talent in the biomedical industry. Furthermore, the positions with the highest demand for PhDs in the biomedical industry are "research and development personnel" and "senior decision-makers."
In response to Taiwan’s aging population, labor shortage, mobility issues for elderly and disabled patients, and the rapid increase in demand for home healthcare. The Ministry of Health and Welfare has recently announced major policies to be implemented in the coming years:
In fact, the healthcare industry has become an essential element of emerging industries in national development. The industry is entering an era of highly interoperable digital data exchange and an open, secure platform-driven digital transformation, which continues to lead rapid development in the industry, creating related industry value chains.
According to a survey on the supply and demand of PhD-level tech talent in key industries in Taiwan, the median number of PhD employees in the biomedical industry is 2.27, which is the highest among all industries. This shows a clear demand for PhD-level talent in the biomedical industry. Furthermore, the positions with the highest demand for PhDs in the biomedical industry are "research and development personnel" and "senior decision-makers."
In response to Taiwan’s aging population, labor shortage, mobility issues for elderly and disabled patients, and the rapid increase in demand for home healthcare. The Ministry of Health and Welfare has recently announced major policies to be implemented in the coming years:
- Reshaping the Healthcare Ecosystem: Review hospital classifications and functional positioning; establish and promote a community-based post-acute care (PAC) system, home medical care, long-term care medical services, and develop in-home healthcare service networks. Also, innovate and optimize hospital evaluation and medical quality management mechanisms, implement strategies for emerging infectious diseases, and deepen patient safety culture.
- Developing Smart Healthcare: The government will strengthen infrastructure and improve regulatory frameworks, increase flexibility, and accelerate the integration of artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, Blockchain, Cloud Computing, Data Computing, etc., to process big medical data and develop telehealth. Medical research will encourage innovative models focusing on rural healthcare, emergency medical care, and epidemic prevention. The goal is to design human-centric systems while ensuring data security, with industry assistance in translating research outcomes.
- Promoting Precision Medicine: The government will improve regulations and licensing methods, authorizing medical institutions, research organizations, and manufacturers to conduct precision medicine. As the development of precision medicine relies heavily on robust databases, the government will collaborate with industry, government, and academia to build a national human bio-database; the "Precision Medicine Demonstration Plan" will be launched to promote the clinical application of precision medicine and establish a personalized healthcare ecosystem. The government will also advance forward-looking legislation for the development of regenerative medicine.
- Expanding International Medical Services: As the domestic healthcare market has become a red ocean, and mainland China has made rapid medical progress in recent years, its demand for healthcare, which once required overseas solutions, will likely decrease significantly. Therefore, the government plans to promote the "New Southbound Policy," targeting Southeast Asia's "overseas Chinese" community. In the future, the government will establish private foundations to support this policy and even assist hospitals in setting up branches abroad.
As a result, with Taiwan's aging society, increasing demand for physical and mental health, and the ongoing healthcare policy reforms, the need for talent development in healthcare institutions has never been greater. Digital technology plays an important role, while changing healthcare service models in future. For example:
- Digital integration support for healthcare service decision-making, continuous clinical monitoring, targeted treatments (such as 3D printing for surgery), and the use of smaller portable devices will help improve the efficiency of emergency response in hospitals.
- Introducing digital technologies to improve patient experience by integrating AI and digital tools to enhance processes and patient experiences.
- Strengthening talent development through robotic processes and evidence-based solutions, allowing caregivers to focus more on patient care rather than on recording patient data.
- Enhancing operational efficiency by implementing digital supply chains, automation, and robotics to improve management and back-office operations.
As healthcare institutions face increasing demand for leadership with core competencies, the current PhD programs are mostly constrained by existing academic requirements and regulations, and there is an urgent need to break these frameworks. Industry PhD programs help break out of the limitations of single-disciplinary academic theories, and focus on innovative transformations and integrations of organizational vision challenges, problem construction, and research methods, harmonizing potential innovations across professional fields.
