National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) in Taiwan signed a BOT hospital contract with privately owned Kaohsiung Medical University (KMU) on July 4th, with NTHU President W. John Kao (高為元) and KMU Director Yi-chen Wang (王伊忱) signing the contract. KMU will invest more than NT$10 billion to build a large-scale smart hospital in the Taoyuan Aerotropolis. Construction on the first phase of the project, which will have a total of 515 beds, is expected to begin in 2024 and be completed by 2028.
Guests attending and witnessing the BOT contract signing ceremony included Deputy Premier of the Executive Yuan Wen-tsang Cheng (鄭文燦), Minister of Finance Tsui- yun Chuang (莊翠雲), Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Education (MOE) Hsin-kuo Liao (廖興國), and Deputy Mayor of Taoyuan City Ming-ju Wang (王明鉅).
The land for the NTHU Taoyuan Medical and Educational R&D Park, which was allocated by the Taoyuan City Government, covers an area of 7.2 hectares. Five hectares have been reserved for the medical park, which initially will contain 329 general beds and 186 special beds, resulting in a total of 515 beds for the first phase. In the future, the number of beds will gradually increase to 910, making it a teaching hospital at the medical center level.
The remaining 2.2 hectares have been designated for the educational R&D park. In the first phase, KMU will construct laboratories, classrooms, and dormitories for healthcare and medical students. In the second phase, NTHU will raise funds independently to develop a medical incubation center and a research center.
Deputy Premier Cheng pointed out that this project was initiated during his tenure as the mayor of Taoyuan City. The NTHU Hospital will leverage the advantages of the Aerotropolis to develop international healthcare services.
During her speech, Minister of Finance Chuang confirmed that KMU’s investment in the NTHU Hospital exceeds NT$10 billion. She noted that this project is the largest private sector investment in public infrastructure under the jurisdiction of the MOE.
NTHU President Kao pointed out that the project is an excellent example of public- private partnership (PPP) collaboration. NTHU and KMU will work together to bring the most advanced technologies such as AI, big data, and gene editing into medical services, benefiting the local population and promoting international healthcare. The NTHU Hospital will also serve as a cutting-edge medical education platform, cultivating future physicians with a sense of mission and imparting diverse perspectives.
KMU noted that the NTHU Hospital will include services such as preventive medicine, community healthcare, clinical medicine, and home healthcare, with the aim of providing comprehensive outpatient, emergency, and inpatient services.
The NTHU Hospital will incorporate 39 medical sub-specialties, including internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, as well as other medical disciplines.
Source: https://www.businesswire.com/
