The National Park Service (NPS), Ministry of the Interior, held a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony today (August 26) under the theme “Inclusive Nature, Shared Health, Protecting the Lifelines of Mountains and Seas.” The MOU establishes a strategic partnership between the NPS and Show Chwan Health Care System. This was followed by the renewal of the 2027–2029 Adoption and Implementation Agreement between Yushan National Park Headquarters (YNPH) and Chu Shang Show Chwan Hospital. Witnessed by NPS Director-General Wang Cheng-gi, the renewal marks the beginning of another three years of public-private collaboration aimed at further advancing high-altitude medical services and ecological sustainability.

YNPH stated that since 2004, Show Chwan Health Care System has generously committed resources and mobilized dedicated teams of medical professionals to provide high-altitude medical services at Paiyun Lodge in Yushan National Park, 3,402 meters above sea level, maintaining this commitment for 23 consecutive years. Over the years, Chu Shang Show Chwan Hospital, a member of Show Chwan Health Care System, has represented the group in signing and implementing the agreements. Professional physicians and nurses are stationed at the lodge on weekends and holidays, while the medical team also provides timely consultations and emergency treatment along hiking trails when needed. To date, the program has helped safeguard the lives and health of more than 10,000 hikers climbing Yushan, establishing a model for public-private collaboration in high-altitude emergency medical care in Taiwan.

YNPH explained that the renewed agreement extends the contract period from two years to three, running from January 1, 2027, through December 31, 2029. The longer term will give the medical team greater stability and flexibility in medium- and long-term resource planning and allocation while improving administrative efficiency. Over the past 23 years, the Show Chwan medical team has also continued to enhance the quality of high-altitude emergency care, bringing advanced medical technology and equipment to Taiwan's highest mountain lodge.

Enhanced Backup Support and Telemedicine

Given the communications constraints posed by the harsh high-altitude environment, multiple safeguards are in place to ensure uninterrupted medical support. In addition to medical personnel stationed at Paiyun Lodge on weekends and holidays, when no physician is present on site, the emergency department at Chu Shang Show Chwan Hospital serves as a vital backup, providing real-time remote consultations and medical advice through a telemedicine system to ensure hikers have timely access to medical assistance.

High-Altitude Emergency Medical Equipment and Innovation

The medical team at Paiyun Lodge is equipped with essential high-altitude emergency medical equipment, including portable altitude chambers (PACs), oxygen concentrators, pulse oximeters, and automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Physicians and nurses stationed at the lodge each weekend provide immediate treatment for altitude sickness as well as medication, oxygen therapy, and emergency care, creating Taiwan's highest-altitude medical safety net.

Diverse Public-Private Collaboration and Community Health Outreach

In addition to continuing medical services at Paiyun Lodge, the new agreement further expands knowledge sharing in high-altitude medicine and mountaineering risk management. Medical outreach will also extend to Indigenous communities surrounding the park through mobile health education programs. Meanwhile, Show Chwan will use multimedia systems across its medical facilities to promote mountain safety and ecological conservation, putting public-private collaboration and corporate ESG commitments into practice on multiple fronts.

YNPH Director Cheng Jui-chang noted that Mt. Jade Main Peak is a popular challenge for both domestic and international hikers. With rapidly changing weather conditions in the high mountains, preventing altitude sickness and responding effectively to medical emergencies are particularly important. Cheng said Show Chwan Health Care System's dedication and commitment over the past 23 years exemplify corporate social responsibility and humanitarian care at the highest level. The signing of an MOU at the NPS level establishes a strategic partnership, while the renewed adoption agreement with YNPH translates that partnership into concrete action. Together, they represent not only the highest recognition of Show Chwan's longstanding contribution, but also a strong integration of the public sector's ecological sustainability objectives with corporate ESG practices, creating a robust safety net that protects lives from the mountains to the sea.

Cheng emphasized that ensuring mountain safety and achieving environmental sustainability require the collective efforts of all sectors of society. Going forward, YNPH will continue to deepen its partnerships with Show Chwan Health Care System and local Indigenous communities, expanding its efforts from a high-altitude emergency medical safety net to health care for lower-elevation communities and comprehensive mountain safety education. Through these efforts, YNPH aims to foster a sustainable national park environment that promotes health and well-being for all.