Department of Surgery
Our department currently consists of various subspecialties including General Surgery, Breast Endocrine Surgery, Neurosurgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Thoracic Surgery, Cardiac Surgery, and Urology. Surgical outpatient clinics are available daily in both the main hospital in Beipu and the satellite clinics in Jinfeng and Fushi.
We specialize in advanced minimally invasive procedures such as endoscopic and laparoscopic surgeries, thoracoscopic surgeries, as well as traditional open surgeries. Our surgical services encompass a wide range including breast and endocrine-related surgeries, tumor resections, fracture reductions and fixation, joint replacement surgeries, spinal surgeries, urological procedures, skin grafting, microsurgery, cranial surgeries for intracranial hemorrhage and brain tumors, among others.
The department head and attending physicians have completed subspecialty training in teaching hospitals or medical centers, with several doctors selected for further training abroad by the Ministry of National Defense to study advanced concepts and surgical techniques. Currently, we have 9 full-time attending physicians, 8 part-time attending physicians (2 in Neurosurgery, 3 in Urology, 1 in Cardiovascular Surgery, 1 in Thoracic Surgery, and 1 in Orthopedics), 1 chief physician, 2 specialty nurses, and 1 hyperbaric oxygen technician.
Military Medical and Disaster Relief Missions
Most of our physicians are certified in Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) and actively participate in trauma care within the hospital as well as various disaster relief missions. Our medical staff actively participate in training courses provided by the Hualien County Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT). During the earthquake disaster on February 6, 2018, our physicians promptly engaged in rescue missions at the collapse site of the Yunmen Cuidi Building, setting up a medical station to serve as a command post until the end of the mission. Post-mission, they were invited to Tainan An-nan Hospital to share their disaster relief experience. During the train accident on April 2, 2021, immediate massive casualty response was activated, and our trauma team efficiently managed mass casualties, providing prompt surgical interventions and optimal care, showcasing the department’s expertise in crisis management. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, our staff diligently cooperated with the Hualien County Health Bureau and hospital authorities, establishing screening stations and vaccination sites in various locations to contribute to the containment efforts. The department also regularly participates in various disaster prevention drills within the jurisdiction of Hualien County, including civil safety drills and airport disaster prevention drills, all of which are conducted by colleagues within the department as the first movers, integrating contingency energy on weekdays.
Under the guidance of the Medical Affairs Bureau(MAB), we have established three forward surgical detachments modeled after the U.S. Military’s Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment (FRSD), responsible for providing emergency medical support for casualties in the Eastern Second Operational Area during wartime. Through exercises with the military medical units and exchanges with other allied hospitals, we aim to enhance our trauma surgery capabilities.
Future Outlook
With a commitment to service excellence, continuous learning, and improvement in professional skills and attitudes, our department aims to not only fulfill traditional missions of education, research, and service but also to enhance the provision of high-quality medical care for military personnel, their dependents, and the general public in the Hualien area. With substantial support from the Medical Affairs Bureau, we have recently upgraded our facilities with advanced equipment including those for minimally invasive procedures, microsurgery, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, as well as the introduction of new techniques such as robotic joint replacement, spinal surgery, and cosmetic surgery. This year, we plan to complete the construction of a Hybrid operating room, a fluoroscopy urology surgery table, and an X-ray machine to provide comprehensive medical services for patients in the Hualien County.