4.2 Doctor-patient relationship
The Taichung General Hospital of the Armed Forces upholds the core values of “Respect for Life and Promotion of Medical Ethics,” dedicating itself to fostering a transparent, honest, empathetic, and trust-based medical environment. In response to increasingly complex doctor-patient relationships and the diverse expectations of stakeholders, the hospital integrates medical dispute management into its medical quality and risk management system. It actively implements the relevant provisions of the “Medical Accident Prevention and Dispute Resolution Act” through institutionalized management mechanisms, interdisciplinary coordination models, and continuous improvement measures. These efforts enhance the quality of doctor-patient communication and medical risk prevention capabilities, safeguard patient rights and the safety of medical staff, and transform medical dispute incidents into valuable opportunities for continuously improving medical quality and patient safety.
Medical Care and Dispute Resolution Committee Charter and Handling Rules
To enhance the medical dispute resolution process, the hospital has established the “Medical Care and Dispute Resolution Committee Charter and Handling Rules,” which serve as a crucial framework for managing medical accident care, investigations, and dispute resolution. When a medical accident or dispute arises, a “Medical Dispute and Care Team”—comprising members from the Medical Department, Outpatient Clinic, Public Relations Office, Military Medical Staff Officer, and Social Worker—is promptly assembled to initiate care and communication procedures. This team proactively clarifies the incident details, assesses the needs of patients and their families, and develops subsequent action plans to minimize the risk of conflict escalation while fostering rational communication and mutual trust between all parties involved.
Medical Accident Appraisal and Handling Committee
Additionally, the hospital has established the “Medical Accident Appraisal and Handling Committee,” chaired by the hospital director. This committee is responsible for reviewing, appraising, and making decisions on major medical dispute cases. Through interdisciplinary professional participation and institutionalized review procedures, the committee ensures that case handling is objective, fair, and professional, thereby enhancing the quality of medical dispute resolution and fostering social trust.
Regarding Risk Management
The hospital integrates medical disputes into its overall risk governance framework. Through case statistical analysis, root cause analysis, and risk assessment mechanisms, it continuously monitors potential risk factors arising during medical service processes and formulates appropriate preventive and corrective measures. In 2025, a total of five medical dispute cases were managed, including one new case and four litigation-controlled cases. The hospital regularly conducts trend analyses and feedback reviews of past cases, identifying recurring incidents and high-risk factors to establish preventive management mechanisms and continuously reduce the risk of medical disputes.
According to the hospital’s “Unit Vulnerability Control Analysis Form” assessment results, the total risk score for medical disputes remains at 12 points, with an occurrence probability of 3 points, impact severity of 2 points, and preparedness of 2 points. This indicates that the hospital maintains high vigilance regarding medical dispute risks and effectively controls these risks through institutionalized management measures, continuously improving the quality of medical services and patient safety management capabilities.
The hospital also recognizes the psychological stress and workplace impact that medical dispute incidents can have on medical staff and has established a comprehensive employee support system. During dispute resolution, dedicated social workers provide care and support services, including psychological counseling and guidance, to help staff manage emotional stress and psychological burdens resulting from these incidents. Additionally, in accordance with relevant regulations, a medical accident compensation sharing mechanism has been implemented, utilizing the Armed Forces Production and Service Operations Fund as an institutional support resource to mitigate the professional risks and concerns faced by medical personnel.
Regarding Workplace Safety and Protection
The hospital strictly enforces medical violence prevention measures to protect staff from unlawful harm, including assault, threats, intimidation, public insults, or personal injury while performing medical duties and managing dispute incidents. It continuously promotes a safe, friendly, and respectful working environment.
To continuously enhance medical risk prevention capabilities, the hospital regularly conducts educational training and experience-sharing sessions focused on medical dispute cases. Each year, during the orientation period for returning new physicians, discussions on medical dispute cases are organized. Through the analysis of actual cases and the promotion of relevant legal regulations, the training improves medical personnel’s abilities in risk identification, communication, coordination, and medical quality management. Simultaneously, the hospital strengthens the professional knowledge of responsible staff and regularly reviews and updates the “Medical Care and Dispute Resolution Committee Charter and Handling Rules” based on regulatory changes, organizational development, and practical needs to ensure that management systems remain current.
Medical Dispute Handling Situations Over the Past Three Years
| Year | Number of Incidents | Number of Settled Cases | Number of Litigation Cases | Number of Cases Under Control | Number of Cases Released from Control |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| 2024 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| 2025 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
According to statistics from the past three years, the number of medical dispute cases at our hospital has decreased from 16 cases in 2023 to 5 cases in 2025, demonstrating a consistent year-over-year decline. This trend indicates that improvements in medical quality management, patient safety measures, and doctor-patient communication mechanisms have gradually taken effect. Moving forward, our hospital will continue to enhance the medical risk management system, deepen the culture of patient safety, strengthen shared decision-making and communication between doctors and patients, and improve the quality of medical services through continuous improvement cycles. Our goal is to balance the protection of patient rights with the maintenance of medical professionalism, creating a sustainable healthcare environment where patients can seek care with confidence and healthcare professionals can practice with assurance.