The National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) has introduced a Gender Equality Risk Assessment Form to help department heads evaluate potential risks, along with strengthened reporting mechanisms, following several reported cases of sexual harassment and sexual assault in recent years.
On Taiwan’s Gender Equality Education Day yesterday, NTUH held a Gender Equality and Sexual Harassment Prevention Awareness Campaign under the theme "Advancing Equality, Embracing Respect."
Speaking at the event, NTUH superintendent Yu Chung-jen (余忠仁) said the medical environment is fundamentally based on human interaction, where physical contact is often unavoidable during patient care.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
However, he emphasized that a clear distinction must be maintained between professional care and inappropriate behavior, and that boundaries in gender-related interactions must be explicitly defined and discussed.
"NTUH is committed to ensuring a safe working environment for both staff and patients during medical care," Yu said, adding that the hospital enforces a "zero tolerance" policy toward any unlawful conduct in the workplace.
The hospital has also established internal regulations in line with the Gender Equality in Employment Act (性別平等工作法) and the Sexual Harassment Prevention Act (性騷擾防治法), he added.
In response to a series of reported harassment and sexual assault cases involving healthcare personnel in recent years, Yu said the hospital introduced a Gender Equality Risk Assessment Form from abroad in November last year to help management conduct risk evaluations and strengthen internal controls.
He said all departments are required to assess various scenarios involving human interaction, including relationships between colleagues and between supervisors and subordinates, as well as potential workplace risk factors.
Departments identified as high-risk will undergo enhanced training, and operational procedures and workflows may be adjusted, including guidelines on physical contact and interpersonal distance, to improve oversight and reduce risks, Yu said.
For handling sexual harassment cases, NTUH has established multiple confidential reporting channels, including a dedicated service desk, hotline, and email, allowing staff to report incidents promptly in a safe and low-pressure environment. Free psychological counseling is also available, he added.
NTUH deputy superintendent Gau Shur-fen (高淑芬), who also chairs the hospital’s Sexual Harassment Prevention and Complaint Committee, said the hospital expresses its deep regret over past incidents. She stressed that gender equality and bodily autonomy are universal values, and that the hospital will continue refining its prevention and enforcement mechanisms to ensure such cases do not recur.
She added that the hospital has established clear protocols for clinical procedures, requiring nursing staff to be present in any situation involving physical contact with patients. Education and training will also be strengthened to improve staff awareness and ensure strict adherence to professional and ethical standards in patient interactions.
Gau said the hospital’s multiple real-time reporting channels are available not only to staff but also to patients’ families, vendors, and outsourced personnel, enabling anyone to report irregularities immediately.
NTUH said the campaign includes promotional activities, a short film, multimedia presentations, and themed exhibitions, all aimed at deepening understanding of gender equality issues among staff and the public, and fostering a safer, more inclusive healthcare environment.
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