Advance Care Planning in Taiwan

Area of Science:

• Medical Law
• Bioethics
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Taiwan has promoted palliative care since 1983.
• Taiwan ranked third in the 2021 global quality of death index.
• Legislation on patient autonomy has evolved in two distinct phases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the legislative development of patient autonomy in Taiwan.
• To examine the scope and impact of key legislation on end-of-life care decisions.
• To assess the comprehensiveness and practical implementation of patient autonomy laws.

Main Methods:

• Legislative analysis of the Hospice Palliative Care Act (2000) and the Patient Right to Autonomy Act (2015).
• Review of policy documents and global quality of death index rankings.
• Assessment of legal frameworks governing life-sustaining treatment and artificial nutrition.

Main Results:

• The Hospice Palliative Care Act (2000) established patient rights for terminally ill individuals regarding life-sustaining treatment.
• The Patient Right to Autonomy Act (2015) expanded these rights to broader severe conditions and clarified treatment definitions.
• Taiwan's legal framework for patient autonomy is increasingly comprehensive.

Conclusions:

• Taiwan's legal advancements demonstrate a growing commitment to respecting patient autonomy in end-of-life care.
• While legislation is robust, practical implementation challenges remain.
• Further efforts are needed to ensure effective application of patient autonomy rights.