In a recent policy outlook, Health Minister Shih Chung-liang pledged over NT$100 billion for the "Big Health" industry. While Taiwan's per capita GDP is projected to surpass South Korea's in 2025, its healthcare investment as a percentage of GDP (7.5%) still lags behind Korea (10%).

• The Health Equity Gap: Despite high medical accessibility via the National Health Insurance (NHI) system, Taiwan’s "unhealthy life expectancy" remains at 8 years, suggesting that care quality in rural and offshore areas requires urgent attention to match neighbors like Japan.
• The "Finland Model": Experts suggest Taiwan look to Finland’s 2023 reforms, which utilized mobile integrated medical units and AI-assisted rural clinics to bridge the urban-rural divide.
• Policy Recommendation: As Taiwan develops its "Healthy Taiwan Deep-Rooting Plan," the focus must shift from purely high-tech medical exports to utilizing ICT and BioMed strengths to ensure Health Literacy and equity for the elderly and vulnerable populations.

Resource: 醫療產業發展、健康平權不可偏廢