-Governance and Supervision-

National Cheng Kung University Hospital (NCKUH) is affiliated with the College of Medicine at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), serving as a critical implementation base for clinical teaching, medical services, and research and development. In addition to meeting clinical medical needs, the hospital's overall development aligns with the educational principles and strategic goals of both the College of Medicine and the University headquarters, demonstrating a highly integrated and coordinated operation within the overarching governance structure. Furthermore, while the hospital is managed by its executive team, an oversight committee established by National Cheng Kung University is responsible for top-level guidance and supervision. In accordance with institutional regulations, this committee reviews major organizational changes, executive appointments, and operational plans, which are then submitted to National Cheng Kung University for final approval. This mechanism ensures strict regulatory compliance and sustainable development.

•  Hospital Governance and Operations

To address diverse needs such as elderly care, pediatric critical care, smart healthcare, and disaster response, enhancing healthcare accessibility and social impact has become an essential component. NCKUH has developed a multi-campus structure with a clearly defined medical network system, which currently includes the main hospital, Douliu Branch, and the planned construction of the Geriatric Hospital and Shalun Hospital, gradually forming a regionally distinctive and functionally diverse medical system.

Organizational Structure

To support the efficient operation of medical services across multiple campuses, the Main Campus (HQ) and various specialized units have been established. It adopts an operational model of “comprehensive planning and specialized division,” promoting clinical healthcare, teaching and research, and quality improvement efforts. The current organizational structure includes 28 medical departments, 16 task centers, 3 medical affairs units, and 17 administrative departments. According to specialties, it has established 28 clinical and support units, such as the Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Department of Pediatrics. In addition, multiple cross-departmental professional centers have been established, such as the Cancer Center, Genetic Center, and Clinical Trial Center, to actively promote precision medicine, interdisciplinary integrated care, and clinical research development.

Furthermore, 33 dedicated hospital-wide committees have been formed as supervisory and management mechanisms, responsible for policy formulation, execution, and supervision. These committees cover hospital operations, development strategies, medical quality, patient safety, innovation and research, and ESG-related topics. Each committee is convened by a member of the Office of the Superintendent, with senior executives or their representatives serving as committee members. Depending on the committee’s scope, data relevant to hospital management, patient safety, and medical quality are collected to ensure the safety and effectiveness of healthcare services and the overall efficiency of organizational operations. Concurrently, to ensure policy execution and governance continuity, the hospital has implemented systematic management for the daily evaluation and digital governance mechanisms of all specialized committees. This is achieved through a dual-track approach consisting of "Dedicated Tracking by the Secretariat" and "Information Transparency via the Knowledge Management (KM) System":

1. Dedicated Tracking by the Secretariat and Routine Reporting: The Secretariat is specifically tasked with monitoring the affairs of each committee. Regardless of whether a meeting is held in a given month, the contact window for each committee must report its execution status and progress monthly. Once consolidated, these reports are routinely presented and evaluated at the monthly Hospital Administration Meeting.

2. Dynamic Personnel Appointment and Regulatory Safeguards: The Secretariat regularly reviews changes in committee membership every academic year and strictly implement the appointment and dispatch procedures

3. Dynamic Publishing on the Knowledge Management (KM) System: All meeting minutes, resolutions, and appointment information of the specialized committees are simultaneously published on the hospital's Knowledge Management (KM) System upon final approval, ensuring real-time access and compliance.

Nomination and Selection of the Executive Management

To ensure the sustainable development and stable leadership of the hospital, and in accordance with the “Regulations for the Organization of the National Cheng Kung University Hospital” as well as the “Regulations on the Term and Qualifications for Concurrent Appointments of Superintendents, Deputy Superintendents, and Heads of Medical Units in Medical Institutions Affiliated with the Ministry of Education,” the President of National Cheng Kung University consults with the Dean of the College of Medicine to select qualified candidates who hold both professorship and physician credentials, who are then concurrently appointed by the President.

Four Deputy Superintendents are additionally appointed to assist in hospital affairs. The Superintendent shall recommend qualified candidates to the Dean of the College of Medicine, who will then submit the recommendation to the University President for appointment or concurrent service. The Office of the Superintendent leads the management team annually in formulating the hospital’s strategic objectives, short-, mid-, and long-term development plans, institution-wide quality improvement, and patient safety plans. These initiatives are aligned with national policies to promote bidirectional referral systems, elevate regional medical standards, and implement the goal of a hierarchical medical care system.

Supervisory Mechanism

NCKUH adopts a governance framework that strictly separates governance from operations. Hospital operations are managed by the executive team under the leadership of the Superintendent, who is responsible for planning and executing core affairs, including healthcare policies, operational plans, annual budgets, human resource allocation, and organizational development. This team periodically reports the hospital's operational performance to the oversight committee, providing a baseline for re-appointment and personnel decisions. The NCKUH Oversight Committee comprises a diverse membership; in addition to permanent members such as the University President, it includes three independent experts from external professional fields and one employee representative.  All members of the oversight committee strictly adhere to conflicts of interest mitigation principles to ensure objectivity and impartiality in decision-making.

The Hospital has established a “Joint Meeting” system, serving as a key communication and coordination platform between the supervisory and operating teams. It covers diverse topics such as patient-centered high-quality medical care, effective organizational management, interdisciplinary collaboration, enhancement of teaching quality, talent cultivation, smart healthcare, sustainable development, and innovative technologies, providing essential guidance for future development planning. Furthermore, based on the specific theme of each joint meeting, the University President invites external expert commissioners to participate and provide major strategic or project-based recommendations. Through participation in National Cheng Kung University’s University Council Meetings, Administrative Meetings, Leadership Briefings, and the University Development Committee, the oversight committee accurately keeps abreast of overarching campus development plans. They also maintain close interaction with the College of Medicine’s College Affairs Meetings and Executive Administrative Meetings, thereby ensuring that the hospital’s operational strategies align with the developmental direction of the academic system.

By clearly delineating supervisory and executive responsibilities, the potential risk of conflicts of interest at NCKUH is effectively mitigated, thereby strengthening the professionalism and independence of hospital governance. The Superintendent and Deputy Superintendents also actively participate in various internal meetings, including the Faculty Affairs Meeting, Medical Affairs Meeting, and Executive Growth Camp. Meeting participants often have professional backgrounds in management, research and development, and information technology, enhancing foresight and execution in decision-making and strengthening the overall governance effectiveness.

Conflict of Interest

NCKUH adopts a management framework that strictly separates “governance and oversight” from “operational execution.” The executive team is responsible for driving hospital affairs, while the oversight committee handles deliberation and supervision. The oversight committee comprises a diverse membership; in addition to the University President, it includes external experts from various professional fields to strengthen the objectivity of governance judgments through external perspectives. Furthermore, all committee members adhere strictly to conflicts of interest mitigation principles to ensure a fair and transparent decision-making process, thereby enhancing the accountability and credibility of the hospital’s governance mechanisms.

The Hospital establishes the position of Superintendent, responsible for planning and executing medical policies, operational plans, annual budgets, human resource allocation, and organizational development. Each year, the Superintendent leads the executive team in formulating the annual development plan, hospital-wide quality goals, and patient safety initiatives. These are submitted to the oversight committee for deliberation and approval prior to implementation, ensuring that the hospital’s operational strategies align with its governance objectives.

The Superintendent is also required to periodically report the hospital’s operational results, quality performance, and key initiatives to the oversight committee, serving as a vital baseline for future re-appointments, personnel decisions, and operational advancements. By clearly distinguishing supervisory and executive responsibilities, NCKU Hospital effectively reduces the risk of potential conflicts of interest, while continuously strengthening the professionalism, independence, and transparency of its governance system.

Performance and Compensation

As a benchmark national public medical center, NCKUH upholds the principles of openness, fairness, and justice. In strict accordance with the “Civil Servant Pay Act,” the “Regulations for Civil Servants’ Allowances and Remuneration,” the “Civil Servant Performance Evaluation Act,” the “NCKUH Guidelines for Contracted Personnel Evaluation,” the “Directions for the Issuance of Year-End Bonuses to Military, Civil Service, and Public School Personnel,” and the “Guidelines for Incentive Bonuses of Hospitals Affiliated with National Universities under the Ministry of Education,” the hospital has established a comprehensive recruitment and remuneration system. The salary structure for civil servants (with contracted attending physicians compensated on a matching baseline) encompasses base pay, professional allowances, service incentives, and full-time clinical bonuses. For contracted personnel, a grading and salary scale tailored to each job category has been instituted with reference to market trends, and employee compensation is dynamically adjusted to maintain market competitiveness.

Civil servants and contracted personnel across all job categories are eligible for step-advancements and salary increments each year based on their performance evaluation results, and surplus bonuses are distributed in alignment with the Hospital’s operational performance. Concurrently, in accordance with government policies, the base salary is upgraded, and certification bonuses or functional allowances are granted to attract and retain specialized talent. The hospital also continuously optimizes measures such as night-shift differentials, retention incentives, and longevity bonuses to enhance overall compensation competitiveness and strengthen talent retention incentives.