National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) set up the heart failure center in August 1993 and started bi-directional communications between case managers and patients. According to a research done in the heart failure center, the bi-directional communication significantly reduced days and times of hospitalizations due to heart failure. In 2009, NTUH has also built up the Telecare center and started the innovative distant care system for cardiovascular diseases. The Telecare center provides an around-the-clock system of healthcare that is accessible from home to reduce complications in patients either with chronic co-morbidities or after surgery, and to promote healthy living. This system emphasizes comprehensive medical recording through 24 hour long distance monitoring equipment, to immediately feedback on sudden or paroxysmal aberrations, so that patients not only feel that help is around the corner but also can reduce transport time and cost inefficacies and decrease patient psychological insecurities.
In light of aging, low-birth-rate trends and the changes in the disease patterns suffered by our citizens, both of which will increase the medical burden and caretaking pressure of individuals and the nation as a whole, and the fact that demand for prevention and health management against chronic diseases will become more intense, the University integrated information telecommunication technology and established the Telecare Center in its hospital in August 2009, the first of its kind to provide real-time long-distance health care services, providing patients with customized health services and management, and help handle paroxysmal or sudden episodes so that patients can enjoy medical-center-grade medical services while at home, traveling for business or for fun without the restraint of time and space.