“I’m very curious as to how a hospital can participate in the Taiwan Business Awards?” said Taitung Christian Hospital Superintendent Lu Hsin-hsiung, who represented the hospital in receiving The Best Social Contribution Award in the nonprofit category at a ceremony in Taipei City.
Co-sponsored by DHL Express Taiwan and China Times Group, Taiwan Business Award, beginning in 2003, is considered as the ‘Nobel Prize’ of the business world in Taiwan, and received 141 entries from corporations and individuals this year.
Paul Hsu, head of the panel of judges that comprised 10 experts from the business and the academic sectors, explained that the winners of the sixth Taiwan Business Awards were selected after a strict six-month process, and include corporations, non-profit organizations, as well as individuals, according to The China Post.
For the first time in the competition’s history, two awards were given to the same company, HTC Corporation, who won the Best Innovation Management and the International Achievement awards.
The Best Social Contribution Award in the nonprofit category went to Taitung Christian Hospital. Superintendent Lu Hsin-hsiung said that the hospital was established to care for the sick, the elderly and the young. “Even though it is a relatively small hospital, it strives to provide quality medical treatment in a humane and caring environment,” he noted.
The theme this year was “transform and challenge,” in the hopes that enterprises in Taiwan can overcome the limits of the industry and learn to take on more social responsibility, said Lin Sheng-fen, chairman of the Taiwan Business Awards and president of the China Times Group.
On the night of the ceremony held on Nov. 21, Lu representing Taitung Christian Hospital received the award and expressed his deep gratitude. He said the glory belongs to God and all the missionaries and staff workers who sacrificed to serve at Eastern Taiwan or “rear mountain”, and the supporters and friends who provided support and concern for TCH.
With a background in professional medical management, Lu had the unique ability to perceive and analyze, which allowed him to lead TCH out from difficulties, turning crisis into a turning point. It has been ten years since he moved from Hualien to Taitung to serve as the current position. Lu reminisced the time that he was assigned as the superintendent of the hospital, when it was on the verge of closing down. After thinking deeply for some time, he by thinking reversely found a short-term management direction for the hospital.
He said that TCH is a hospital but not very big in size. Compared with the quantity and quality of facilities in large hospitals, it has much fewer equipments and human resources. Comparing with a clinic, it would be difficult to do so. So why not think reversely? We can be more equipped than a clinic and more convenient than large hospitals. On an average hospitals have many administrative procedures, so we shorten this point, allowing TCH to become more convenient than large hospitals, but is more fully equipped than clinics.
Speaking in terms of long-term development, Lu said after analyzing that only through renewing the medical equipments, recruiting sufficient number of specialty doctors, and even expanding the size of the hospital can TCH survive. After setting a clear position, he began to search for resources to rebuild the hospital.
Despite the impact from 921 Earthquake and 911 Incident, with the public support and volunteer, the new TCH’s medical building construction was completed and ready for use in 2003. Its old building also finished renovation in the following year, which new facilities and caring medical team were dedicated to improve the medical services for people in Taitung. Moreover, concerned about the surrounding environment, Lu thought deeply on the hospital’s new step, and he found a unique role from regional hospital TCU.
“While there are many limitations of development in the emergency medical field and Taitung Mackay Memorial Hospital, a regional level hospital, is also located here and that medical service is not for competing for patients, but for distinguishing and mending, so TCH and Taitung Mackay Hospital has a close working relationship; they are developing the E.R section, and we are developing community based,” said TCH superintendent. Therefore, TCH started the work to care for the elderly in the community. At the same, they discovered the problems with children and youth, so they took another step to do children and youth concern ministries.
In view of the needs of the community, TCH founded the Kernel of Wheat Foundation to push forward the work of caring for the entire community. The hospital current serves over 1,500 seniors through home visitations, transportation for seniors, medical patrol in Eastern Taiwan or “rear mountain”, and senior day care and services of the like. In addition, while seeing the seniors who are disabled or have been lying in bed for an extended period of time due to sickness, they began a program that provides long-term care.
Consisting of multiple-levels of care services, Cannan Gray Hair Life Blessing Center began its construction two years ago and will begin its operation on Dec. 13. It consists of an independent living care quarter, Group Home used for assistant care, light to medium level of disability day-time care, home for complete care, and senior colleges that provides community interaction, etc, allowing seniors who are healthy or disabled to enjoy a consecutive service of care. In the aspect of child care, 11 counseling courses have been established, and each school semester they help 220 students from families with difficulties.
Producing unlimited values with limited resources and forming the platform for the cycle of love are TCH’s goals. Their contribution in the past has also receive public acclaim; in 207, with the capacity of a regional hospital, they received an excellent grading from Taiwan’s Department of Health’s new hospital evaluation; this March of this year, they’ve received the NPO Management Team top award National Youth Public Participation Award. Over 2/3 of their staffs are less than 35 years old. With the joint efforts of both old and young staffs, they were able to display enthusiasm and high work efficiency; others include two consecutive years of receiving an excellent evaluation from Taitung County Government on home services; a mountain area patrol volunteer and its volunteer team captain each received the 2006 and 2007 Bureau of Health Promotion Volunteer Award of Special Contribution, etc.
The awards serve as a form of encouragement and also as a responsibility. Entering its 45th year in service, TCH will continue to devote in medical service profession and elderly care services, providing ways for the weak to also receiving blessings. Lu urges for more quality doctors to come to Taitung to watch over the Rear Mountain and hopes that the public can continue to support the hospital, allowing this cycle of love to flow continuously.
[Editor's note: reporter Ian Hwang from Taiwan contributed to the report.]
