We are grateful to the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Joint Commission of Taiwan for their emphases on the importance of a friendly medical environment and for organizing the “Accessible Medical Care Award Program”, which provided an opportunity for primary healthcare institutions to showcase and learn from one another. A friendly medical environment requires continuous improvement to offer both safe and comfortable hardware and software services to the public. We sincerely thank the surveyors for providing their professional suggestions, and are especially appreciative of the support from the Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, which encouraged our colleagues to actively explore and implement various improvement strategies to create a friendly medical environment at the Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation Chiayi Tzu Chi Clinic.
During the initial planning and construction of the Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation Chiayi Tzu Chi Clinic, considerations for a friendly medical environment were integrated into the design. The hardware facilities include accessible toilets, accessible ramps, elevators, service counters with knee space, a multimedia queuing system, wheelchair scales, wheelchairs, and a firefighting system. In terms of software service processes, we provide services such as security personnel, medical volunteers, emergency call bells, and accessible communication cards, ensuring an environment that is not only friendly but also safe for all patients.