A. Establishment

The Department of Family Medicine began operation on the same day when Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital started service in 1990. Originally, it was just organized by a mission headed by Dr. Ming-Shium Tu. On May 9, 1991, it passed the accreditation for residency training program by Taiwan Association of Family Medicine. Thanks to continuing development and services, it has expanded from a small Division with a simple ambulatory service to a formally Department with three sections of Physical Checkup, Hospice Care, and Community Medical Service by 2003.

B. Summary of Operation

Outpatient Service

From Monday to Friday, either in the morning or afternoon, two clinics are open for outpatients, offering comprehensive, continuous and coordinated cares. The outpatient service also includes programs as smoke cessation, weight reduction, adult health checkup, and preventive immunization.

Physical Checkup

A variety of package is served for different needs such as fast, half-day, and one-day programs, as well as those for government employees are provided. Our goals of this service are superior quality, various item option, dependable report, and convenient after-service.

Home Care

This working team is primarily composed of physician, nurse and social worker. Apart from those for chronic patients, this program also includes hospice home care. In addition to general nursing service, assistances for consultation, referral and hospitalization are also provided.

Hospice Care

Hospice ward, named Churng–Der Ward, formally started operation on November 9, 1998. There are 20 beds for terminal patients, providing body-mind-spiritual cares. This holistic care is designed to help solve the “ lifetime event ” of the family with terminal patients.

Community Medical Service

This Department also takes care of the community health promotion program in hospital. Community Health Service Promotion Committee, chaired by deputy president and executed by the chief of this Department, was established for community health service and promotion. Under this Committee, there are four working teams, namely, Health Service, Health Management, Patient Referral, and Disease Management, which are respectively charged by the Social Work Office, Department of Family Medicine, Department of Health Management, and Department of Nursing.

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