A Simple Guide for Foreigners Seeking Medical Treatment in Taiwan

First, assess the severity of the patient's symptoms. For example: - Difficulty breathing - Chest pain - Unconsciousness - Severe trauma or heavy bleeding - Stroke symptoms (facial drooping, arm weakness, slurred speech) If it's an emergency (go directly to a large hospital's emergency room / call 119 for an ambulance). For minor illnesses, colds, skin problems, chronic conditions, or general discomfort, Taiwan allows you to choose your department freely; a referral from a family doctor is not always necessary. Appointments are usually not required. You can go directly to: - Clinics - Family Medicine - ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) - Dermatology For more specialized or persistent symptoms, you can directly register at: - Medical Centers - Regional Hospitals Recommended documents to bring: - Passport or Alien Resident Certificate (ARC/APRC) - National Health Insurance (NHI) card (if you have Taiwan's NHI; if not, you can still seek medical treatment at your own expense). - Cash or credit card Information on current medications Registration methods: - On-site counter - Hospital website - Mobile App - Convenience store reservation (for some hospitals) 5. Typical consultation process: - Registration - Waiting for your number to be called - Doctor's consultation - Payment - Picking up medication (Pharmacy) Many large hospitals offer English services. 6. Explanation of NHI (National Health Insurance) and costs: Taiwan has high medical quality, but costs vary greatly without NHI. - With NHI: General outpatient visit: approximately NT$150–500 - Without NHI, costs can be significantly higher. For example, at clinics: approximately NT$500–2,000. Medium to large hospitals: even higher.