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. 2021 May 7;23(5):e24294.
doi: 10.2196/24294.

Enhancing Data Linkage to Break the Chain of COVID-19 Spread: The Taiwan Experience

Wei-Cheng Lo #  1 , Fu-Chung Wang #  2   3 , Li-Yin Lin  1   4   5 , Hong-Wei Jyan  6 , Hsuan-Chien Wu  7 , Yao-Liang Huang  8 , I-Ming Parng  2 , Hung-Yi Chiou  1   4   5
Affiliations

Enhancing Data Linkage to Break the Chain of COVID-19 Spread: The Taiwan Experience

Wei-Cheng Lo et al. J Med Internet Res. .

Abstract

Digital technology has been widely used in health care systems and disease management, as well as in controlling the spread of COVID-19. As one of the most successful countries in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan has successfully used digital technology to strengthen its efforts in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. Taiwan has a well-established National Health Insurance System (NHIS), which provides a great opportunity to develop a nationwide data linkage model in an agile manner. Here we provide an overview of the application of data linkage models for strategies in combating COVID-19 in Taiwan, including NHIS centralized data linkage systems and "from border to community" information-driven data linkage systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, we discuss the dual role of digital technologies in being an "enabler" and a "driver" in early disease prevention. Lastly, Taiwan's experience in applying digital technology to enhance the control of COVID-19 potentially highlights lessons learned and opportunities for other countries to handle the COVID-19 situation better.

Keywords: COVID-19; National Health Insurance System; Taiwan; data linkage; digital health; digital technology; infectious disease; management; prevention; spread.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Diagrammatic representation of the NHI IC card usage in COVID-19 prevention policies. NHI: National Health Insurance, VPN: virtual private network.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Timeline of technology usage in COVID-19 prevention in Taiwan. Green blocks represent the launching date of the travel history inquiry system and the name-based mask-rationing system, blue blocks represent the procedures and services for border control and the home quarantine system, and the yellow block represents the date when CECC announced guidelines for contact information–based measures and data collection. CECC: Central Epidemic Command Center, MOI: Ministry of the Interior, NHI: National health Insurance, NHIA: National Health Insurance Administration.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Diagrammatic representation of the border control and home quarantine systems.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Number of daily arrivals and home quarantine management in Taiwan (data were collected until November 30, 2020).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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