Involuntary Hospitalization Review Mechanism in Taiwan: Lessons Learned from a 12-Year Experience

Involuntary Hospitalization Review Mechanism in Taiwan: Lessons Learned from a 12-Year Experience

Patients with severe mental illness are persons with disabilities, and their rights to receive timely and appropriate treatment are important. However, they do not usually receive the needed psychiatric treatment either through hospitalization or in the community, because of the lack of insight. The issue of equal and accessible care is important in our position of the Taiwanese Society of Psychiatriy in Taiwan. But the freedom and prejudice-free attitude are also important, and the treatment and medical care should be provided by minimal coercion. It is important for a country to have a high quality mechanism to claim and review the application of patients with severe mental illness to be treated by means of coercion, including both involuntary hospitalization and treatment in the community. This position echos that of the World Health Organization on human rights and health.