| Summary: | 碩士 === 大葉大學 === 事業經營研究所 === 87 === Abstract
The purpose of this study is to understand the current market supply and demand for long-term care facilities (including nursing homes and caring centers); and its current operations status in Taipei metropolis. The information collected for this research can be classified into two, namely: primary and semi-primary data collections.
The semi-primary data includes thesis from foreign and domestic sources and periodical publications. It aims to understand market status, supply and demand, and the difficulties that investors are facing in terms of establishments and business operations.
The primary data, which is the main source of this study, is based on the "Strategic Model Analysis Method" as its structural frame, and the "Single Case Analysis Method." Interviews were conducted in 5 long-term care centers (including 2 nursing homes and 3 caring centers) with the purpose of comparing, consolidating, analyzing and reviewing the difficulties and key success factors of their operational practice. The results of the study are as follows:
1. The Current Status of Long-term Care Market
(1) At the end of 1998, the senior citizens (age 65 and above) in Taiwan are as high as 8.4% of the total population. It is even higher in Taipei city consisting up to 9.2%, of which, 56% are suffering from chronic illnesses, and 5.43% are unable to take care of their own daily living. In other words, almost one out of ten persons need nursing care from others.
(2) By the end of 1998, there are 31 private nursing homes (1269 beds) in operations in Taiwan, or 1305 beds if including some illegal centers still in operations. In Taipei city, there are 3 nursing homes with 146 beds, and there are also 3 nursing homes with 142 beds under establishment. In the future those public and private hospitals with less occupancy rates may have to transform their beds for long-term care use. In this case, the total health system could provide more than 30,000 beds for long-term care purposes.
Under social and public system there are 43 legally approved caring centers with 2727 beds based on the data of 1994. However, there are a lot of illegal caring centers with as many as close to 60,000 beds. Based on Taipei city statistics of 1999, there are 26 caring centers with 850 beds approved, and 183 illegal caring centers with 4369 beds. The ratio between legal and illegal caring centers is significant, and the supply and demand are not well coordinated.
2. The Operations Analysis of Long-term Care Facilities
(1) There is a close relationship between the business operation and the location of community-type caring centers.
(2) Independent nursing homes are facing operational difficulties more than the nursing homes attached to hospitals.
(3) The services provided by caring centers or nursing homes will have to be variformed and consolidated.
(4) Independent caring centers or nursing homes will increase their competitive advantages if they are situated nearby hospitals or clinics.
(5) Large scale caring centers will be benefited and will have more competitive advantages in the economical scale and variety services.
(6) Nursing homes with less than 30 beds will have limited profits.
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