Min-Sheng General Hospital Cosmetic Center promotes the benefits of Autologous Fat Transfer

Men and women seeking to eliminate some of the facial “wear and tear” brought by years, but who don’t want to undergo a face lift or facial plastic surgery, are increasingly opting for facial fat injections. This method of “facial fat sculpting” can restore attractive contours to the chin, cheeks, and under-eye area, as well as add volume to lips. Microlipoinjection , also called Autologous Fat Transfer, is a procedure in which a patient's own body fat is used to plump up sunken or emaciated areas of the face or to add volume where desired. It is called "autologous" because it refers to the use of one's own tissues or fat. Likewise, Autologous Fat Transfer is a popular option for breast augmentation as an alternative to traditional breast implants.

Since the patient's own fat is used, Autologous Fat Transfer is performed in three steps. The first step involves the gentle liposuction of some excess fat in the abdomen, thighs, or buttocks. Fats cells are then isolated, cleansed and purified before being injected in the targeted facial areas. The whole process which takes less than two hours is performed under local anesthesia; some patients choose to have more excess fat removed and combine the procedure with a liposuction. A significant benefit of using the patient’s own fat is that the results generally last much longer than the results of other dermal fillers. And there is no allergic reaction to worry about. Individual fat transfer results can vary, but with a properly performed procedure, the results may last for years.

Min-Sheng General Hospital’s highly skilled plastic surgeons have successfully performed numerous Autologous Fat Transfers. This quick and safe technique offers tangible results and is less expensive than other types of surgical facial rejuvenation options, making it an ideal procedure for foreigners visiting Taiwan for business or leisure.

International graduate students visit Min-Sheng General Hospital

International students and faculty from Taipei Medical University visited Min-Sheng General Hospital this week to gain insight on what has made Min-Sheng a leader in international health care in Taiwan.

Taipei Medical University launched a Master in Health Administration program in English two years ago, and these students are part of its first graduating class. Originating from Asia, Central America, Africa and the Caribbean, the visiting students are all doctors or medical professionals in their respective country.

The visitors were given a presentation of the strategies that Min-Sheng General Hospital initiated to position itself as an attractive destination for International Medical Tourists, and a tour of the facilities. The students showed a particular interest in the synergies between electronic and health care that Min-Sheng is developing in the field of telemedicine and patients administration.

Min-Sheng’s IHC attends international forum on Medical Tourism.

Members of the International Healthcare Department at Min-Sheng General Hospital attended the 2010 International Medical Forum held in Taipei November 22. The event was organized by TAITRA and the Taiwan Bureau of Foreign Trade, and attracted a diverse crowd of individuals and organizations interested in the implementation of medical tourism in Taiwan.

Speakers included Mr. Jonathan Edelheit, CEO of the Medical Tourism Association, an international nonprofit organization committed to promoting health care across borders, Mr. Dan Snyder President and CEO of Asia Pacific Health Partners and former CEO of Parkway Holdings in Singapore, Asia’s largest private integrated healthcare company, and Dr. Junaidi Ismail, Director Business Development & Corporate Affairs at Prince Court Medical Center in Malaysia.

Min-Sheng Hospital has been actively involved in medical tourism for several years, and is widely perceived as a leader in this field in Taiwan. Mr. William Hoyois of Min-Sheng’s international healthcare department engaged in extended private conversations with the international speakers, exchanging information and strengthening old relationships.

Leading International Architecture and Urban design Firm visits Min-Sheng Hospital

A group of executives from RTKL and Associates, a leading architecture, engineering and urban design firm headquartered in Baltimore, USA, visited Min-Sheng General Hospital this week. The group was lead by Mr. Greg Yager, Senior Vice President and Director of Urban Design who also heads the firm’s office in Shanghai.

RTKL has been present for more than twenty years in China where it has designed and planned many high profile development projects, including Shanghai’s China Science and Technology Museum, Guangzhou’s Railway Station, and the City Crossing Complex in Shenzhen, among others. RTKL is a full-service design firm and its area of expertise also includes health care facilities; RTKL is the principal designer of the Changzheng New Pudong Hospital in Shanghai which at 2200 beds will be the largest new facility built in a single phase in China.

The visitors were received by a management team from MissionCare, the parent company of Min-Sheng Hospital, and given an extensive tour of the hospital’s facilities. Mr. Yager said he was impressed by Min-Sheng’s level of commitment to service quality and to improving the processes for dealing with patients’ care. The decision by the government to go ahead with its project to develop a Medical Tourism Zone near the international transport hub of Taoyuan is generating the interest of a lot of domestic and international companies eager to combine expertise for the mixed-use project.

Aetna International members now enjoy cashless outpatient treatment at Min-Sheng General Hospital.

Beginning November 1, 2010, patients participating in Aetna International and GoodHealth/China Life’s health plans will enjoy cashless handling of their outpatient treatment at Min-Sheng General Hospital. Aetna members who present a valid membership card and identification will now have their healthcare costs billed directly to Aetna for treatment of less than US $500. Patients will still be responsible for the co-payment as stipulated in their policy, and certain items are not-covered by this agreement.

Until now only hospitalization and charges of more than US$500 were covered by a billing agreement (after pre-authorization); for general outpatient treatment Aetna members had to settle the bill first and claim reimbursement from the insurer. Because of Min-Sheng General Hospital’s proximity to The Taoyuan International Airport, this service convenience is of particular interest to those among the increasing number of Mainland Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan who are Aetna members through China Life.

Min-Sheng General Hospital and Johns Hopkins Primary Care Policy Center looking at working together.

In prelude to the symposium on public health that took place at Min-Sheng General Hospital, guests and speakers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health were received at Min-Sheng’s Health Park in Dashi. They were briefed on the activities and projects of the MissionCare Group and Dr. Fred Yang, the CEO of the group, extended an invitation to the Schools’ Primary Care Policy Center to join Min-Sheng Hospital in seeking ways to further improve the health of the population of the greater Taoyuan region.

In a letter of Interest signed by Dr. Yang Min-Sheng, Chairman of Min-Sheng General Hospital, and Dr. Leiyu Shi, director of the Johns Hopkins Primary Care Policy Center, the parties expressed their intention to explore ways to work together on a variety of issues and projects. After the signing ceremony the participants voiced their hope that this event will mark the dawn of a fruitful collaboration.

Johns Hopkins Faculty speak on Public Health at Min-Sheng General Hospital

Saturday December 23, Min-Sheng general Hospital played host to an international symposium on Public Health Policy jointly organized with the Taoyuan County Public Health Bureau. The organizing committee had invited prominent academics from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the world’s leading institution dedicated to the training of public health professionals, to share their experience on a variety of topics.

Dr. James Yager, Professor in Preventive Medicine at the School, spoke about environmental determinants of cancer and possible strategies for the prevention of certain types of cancer. Rapid industrialization and the life style changes resulting from economic development are contributing to make cancer a global health problem; Dr. Yager elaborated on the opportunities and challenges for prevention that this presents.

Dr. Leiyu Shi, Professor in Health Policy and Management and co-director at The Johns Hopkins Primary Care Policy Center for the Underserved, told about the benefits of advancing primary care to improve community health. The topic is particularly relevant at a time when health care costs are spiraling out of control in many countries and governments are looking for ways to rein in expenditure.

Dr. Chiang Tung-Liang, Professor and Dean of the College of Public Health at National Taiwan University and one of the fathers of the National Health Insurance in Taiwan, presented the achievements and short comings of the universal coverage system, and looked at the future of public health in the ROC and at the challenges still laying in the way of health equity.

For Min-Sheng General Hospital the symposium was another opportunity to reaffirm its commitment towards improving the health of the population of Taoyuan County, while raising its profile and profess its international ambitions.

Chinese health professionals visit Min-Sheng General Hospital

Hospital managers and public health officials from Wuhan City in Hubei Province, China, visited Min-Sheng General Hospital on their fact finding tour of Taiwan. With a population in excess of 10-million, Wuhan is the largest city and the de facto capital of Central China.

The visitors who belong to the Wuhan chapter of the Medical Association of China were welcomed by Dr. Chang Yang-Chyuan, Min-Sheng Hospital’s Superintendent, and given a tour of the facilities after a presentation about Min-Sheng Health System. Faced with large crowds of patients in their hospitals, the guests were particularly interested in the steps that Min-Sheng General Hospital has taken to facilitate the flow of patients and increase the efficiency of its services.