Taiwan and Sweden explore roads towards smart and sustainable healthcare

Swedish delegation visits National Cheng Kung University Hospital to deepen exchanges

National Cheng Kung University Hospital (NCKUH) hosted a high-level delegation from the Swedish Trade & Invest Council to explore collaboration opportunities in resilient hospital design and sustainable healthcare innovation. The visit, coordinated by NCKU's Shalun Healthcare and Innovation Park Implementation Office, focused on how Swedish expertise in flexible medical infrastructure can inform Taiwan's healthcare development.

During the meeting, the guests outlined the core principles of Sweden’s healthcare system: flexibility, resilience, and sustainability. The Swedish delegation, led by Helena Reitberger, Swedish Representative to Taiwan, and Martin Vercouter, Commercial Section Director, presented two case studies that demonstrate this philosophy in action. The Karolinska University Hospital's "O-Huset" (formerly "Project Chopin") exemplifies crisis-adaptive design. The surgical building can rapidly convert operating rooms into intensive care units during emergencies, providing up to 64 ICU beds. This flexibility proved invaluable during the Covid-19 pandemic and has since become an international reference model for medical architecture.

Hudiksvall Hospital's modular composite units showcase another dimension of Swedish innovation: temporary operating rooms that can be rapidly assembled with independent air conditioning, power supply, and medical equipment. This approach ensures healthcare continuity during construction while meeting environmental sustainability standards.

The meeting with NCKUH Superintendent Dr. Jing-Wei Lee, Chairperson Dr. Wen-Chien Ko, and the hospital's leadership team established a foundation for ongoing collaboration. Both parties identified shared priorities in smart healthcare development and sustainable hospital design, particularly relevant as healthcare systems worldwide face increasing pressure from public health emergencies and climate change.

NCKU's Shalun Healthcare and Innovation Park Implementation Office will serve as the coordination hub for future Taiwan-Sweden initiatives in medical innovation and resilient healthcare infrastructure.

Source: National Cheng Kung University Hospital

01.12.2025