National Cheng Kung University Hospital's Outpatient Building inaugurated

The Outpatient Building of National Cheng Kung University Hospital was officially inaugurated on June 12th to provide excellent medical service and to further ensure the health of people in Southern Taiwan.

“The comprehensive Cancer Center will link the research resources of National Cheng Kung University, the industry and National Health Research Institutes to develop into a cancer research center of national level.”

Dr. Feng-Hwa Lu, the Head of Outpatient Department at NCKU Hospital and Associate Professor of Family Medicine, and Dr. Cheng-Yang Chou, the Director of Cancer Center at NCKU Hospital and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, respectively, introduced and commented on the design concepts and characteristics of the Outpatient Department and the comprehensive Cancer Center at the new Outpatient Building.

Prof. Feng-Hwa Lu pointed out, "The new Outpatient Building is a medical service building constructed for patients to offer the most humane medical service. Since the establishment of the NCKU Hospital, the construction project of Outpatient Building is of the largest scale. Situated in front of NCKU Hospital, the building has 10 floors above the ground and 3 underground floors. Even though the new building is called the Outpatient Building, it's actually a comprehensive building with clinical service, teaching and research functions. It's named the Outpatient Building because Superintendent Pin-Wen Lin of NCKU Hospital especially emphasizes on patient-centered service. It's also what people care most about. After all, the ultimate goal of teaching and research is to provide medical service of the highest quality."

Prof. Feng-Hwa Lu expressed, "The outpatient service area mainly rests in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th floor. The 1st floor also includes Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics, Department of Urology, Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and Pain Clinic of Department of Anesthesiology. The 2nd floor includes Department of Neurology, Department of Surgery, Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Department of Pediatrics and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The 3rd floor has Department of Dentistry, Department of Psychiatry, Department of Dermatology and Department of Otorhinolaryngology. The 5th floor has Cancer Center Outpatient Service. Many clinical division outpatient services have moved to the new Outpatient Building as well."

Dr. Lu further explained, "The characteristics of the Outpatient Building are convenient transportation and easy parking, large space and comprehensive integrated service, advanced equipment and a transparent clinical information system as well as improved working environment and elevated service quality. We have planned 3 exits for over 6,000 patients and families to come in and out each day, 495 parking spots for motorcycles in basement 1, and 269 parking spots for cars in basements 2 and 3. The Hospital offers a free shuttle bus from the rear train station to the Outpatient Building every 30 minutes. There're also a city bus and shuttle bus for High Speed Rail. Therefore, the transportation and parking are extremely convenient for people who come from Tainan and other cities or counties.

"The outpatient service on the 2nd floor of the Hospital Building was moved to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th floors of Outpatient Building. The space was expanded for the easy access of wheelchairs and beds. The number of outpatient service rooms also expanded from 82 to 109 for doctors to have more clinical space. In addition, the 1st floor also includes negative pressure isolation wards for patients with possible contagion to be placed in a safer environment.

"The transparent clinical information system allows doctors to key in the medical conditions and diagnosis of patients into the computer. The call number equipment adopts the newest medical information display system to show the essential message on television screen, including the department, clinic, doctor's name, personnel's name and the waiting list. It also adopts a computerized check-in system for the hospital to statistically analyze the total time patients spent from check-in to obtaining prescriptions, making important references to elevate future service quality.

"The Outpatient Building not only emphasizes providing convenient transportation, easy access, large space and advanced equipment. It also encourages practical implementation of the 'patient-centered service' concept from all colleagues. It's one of our goals to offer an excellent working environment for the medical staff so that they'll be in a pleasant mood when helping the patients."

Prof. Feng-Hwa Lu emphasized, "With the inauguration of the Outpatient Building, NCKU Hospital has marked a new milestone, expecting the entire personnel to work together to continue creating the next 20-year honorary achievement. I believe with the expansion of clinical space, the advancement of medical equipment, the elevation of service quality and the improvement of working environment, the outpatient service will provide a more complete, more secure and more convenient medical care service to ensure the health of the people in Yunlin-Chiayi-Tainan Region."

Director Cheng-Yang Chou also mentioned, "The comprehensive Cancer Center will link the research resources of National Cheng Kung University, the industry and National Health Research Institutes to develop into a cancer research center of national level."

Dr. Cheng-Yang Chou stressed, "NCKU Hospital will integrate College of Medicine, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology and National Health Research Institutes to form NCKU Medical Science Park, hoping to provide a cancer knowledge platform on teaching, research and service, to develop and share new cancer knowledge with national hospitals and to create a new era of cancer treatment."