Asia-Pacific Sustainability Action Awards-Sustainability Action Awards SDG10:Silver
PUBLIC HEALTH BUREAU NANTOU COUNTY GOVERNMENT
Taiwan’s First Smart Home Medication Delivery System: Achieving Rural Health Equity
Nantou County faces critical healthcare access challenges due to its vast mountainous geography and a rapidly aging population (23.05% aged 65+, ranking 3rd in Taiwan). To solve mobility barriers, digital exclusion, and chronic medication interruptions among vulnerable groups, the Nantou County Health Bureau pioneered Taiwan’s first countywide Smart Home Medication Delivery System. This platform integrates an online application interface with local pharmaceutical networks. By utilizing proxy filings via village chiefs or long-distance children, it directly bridges the digital divide. Centering on 44 community pharmacies and 86 professional pharmacists, the program achieved 100% coverage across 13 townships. It served a cumulative 8,584 cases and functioned as a social radar to discover 484 unregistered isolated elderly individuals. The initiative saved 239,280 minutes of travel time, reduced costs by NT$2.41 million, lowered fall risks by 2.87%, and cut carbon emissions by 1,738 kg. It exemplifies a highly scalable, human-centric smart governance model.