Medical Affairs Bureau
Ministry of National Defense

As the most senior commander of Taiwan MHS, Director General of MAB commands all units assigned to him, including military medical school, hospitals, and research labs. He is also the most senior chief of staff on military medicine to both Minister of National Defense and Chief of General Staffs in the capacity of Surgeon General of Defense.

MAB is the single and most important ministerial level military medicine staff organization. Under MAB, 5 departments of Medical Management, Medical Planning, Medical Readiness & Healthcare, Pharmaceutical Management, and Comptroller Office are established to ensure efficient implementation and supervision of military medicine enterprises. By law, National Defense Medical Center (NDMC), Tri-Service General Hospital (TSGH), all military hospitals and military clinics, and Armed Forces Medical Supplies Office (AFMSO) are under the command of MAB.

A “2 categories, 3 roles” system of Health Service Support is adopted by Taiwan Armed Forces. Field health service support (category 1) is conducted by respective military services, while clinical treatment (category 2) is provided by military hospitals. In accordance with missions, organizations, and unique characteristics of each military service (Army, Navy, and Air Force), flexible and most appropriate modes of health support will be planned and executed.

Commanders (Superintendents) of Armed Forces General Hospitals located in each theater of operations (TOs) are the highest ranking medical officers in each TO. Based on tactical situations, these medical commanding officers assume overall commanding & managing responsibility for comprehensive casualty care and disposition (category 2) via critical care urgency analyses and flexible utilization of medical resources within the TO health support network.

Missions of field medical units of military services (category 1) focus primarily on preventive medicine, EMS, and prompt casualty evacuation with no treatment beds established. When necessary, medical clinics/infirmaries can be operated by regional field medical units to provide primary outpatient services, simple trauma management, and short-term patient observation. Patients/casualties with more complicated conditions and beyond the capability of these clinics will be referred or evacuated promptly to suitable medical treatment facilities for further management.