Page 143 - 2019-安寧專刊

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Congratulatory Message for the 20th Anniversary of the Taiwan Academy of Hospice Palliative Medicine
國際友人的祝福
On behalf of the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN), I wish to extend our heartiest congratulations to the Taiwan Academy of Hospice Palliative Medicine (TAHPM) on the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of its founding.
Since its formation in 1999, the TAHPM has championed hospice palliative care, particularly in the area of development of the palliative care workforce for Taiwan. In 2001, The TAHPM conducted the certification process, creating palliative medicine specialists in Taiwan for the first time. This was followed in 2002 by the accreditation of specialist training centres in 12 hospitals. Today, the TAHPM continues to be the driving force behind the training, accreditation and maintenance of standards of palliative care professionals throughout Taiwan.
In concert with others, the TAHPM advocated successfully for essential legislation and public policy changes in Taiwan, including the Hospice and Palliative Care Act of 2000, inclusion of integrated Hospice Care into the National Health Insurance in 2000, its amendment to include non- cancer diagnoses in 2009 and the Home Health Medicare in 2015. More recently, the Patient Self- Determination Act was passed in 2016. These are admirable achievements, from which others in our region can draw lessons.
Such sterling work over the past 2 decades has enabled Taiwan to be ranked 14th out of 40 countries and top in Asia by the Economist Intelligence Unit' s Quality of Death index in 2010. Taiwan moved up to 6th place out of 80 countries, and again top in Asia, in the Quality of Death Index in 2015.
Taiwan was one of the Founding Sectors of the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network in 2001 and hosted the 4th Asia Pacific Hospice Conference in Taipei that year. The 11th Asia Pacific Hospice Conference returned to Taipei in 2015. Members of the TAHPM have conducted hospice and palliative care training courses outside Taiwan, including in mainland China. Presently the TAHPM has a strong initiative to promote research in palliative care, both within Taiwan and in collaborations in the region.
May I congratulate you in taking the lead in the Asia Pacific region, in setting up palliative care services integrated into the health system, and in successful education of the public in an Asian community! Thank you for being a collegial partner in palliative care education and research in the region!
May I wish the Taiwan Academy of Hospice Palliative Medicine continued success in its endeavour to promote the highest standards in hospice palliative care in Taiwan and in the Asia Pacific region!
With our heartfelt congratulations on your 20th Anniversary
Cynthia Goh Chair, Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network

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Chapter 5
勉勵與祝福