Overworked doctor compensated for workplace injury

TAIPEI, Taiwan - The Taiwan High Court, Tainan Branch announced this month after a second ruling that Chi Mei Hospital would be liable in compensating former surgical doctor Tsai Po-chiang for his workplace injury.

The hospital will have to pay Tsai NT$1.240.000 in retirement pension as well as NT$7.8 million (S$0.3 million) in compensation for his workplace injury.

Tsai's case is the first case where an overworked doctor will receive compensation for workplace injury.

Five years ago, Tsai suffered incurable amnesia since he was so overworked at the hospital. Even though the Bureau of Labor Insurance (BLI) confirmed Tsai's diagnosis to be a workplace injury due to overwork, the road to receiving compensation from Chi Mei has been difficult.

Labor groups and the Doctors' Working Conditions Reform Task Force said that the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MHW) should provide a timeline of when doctors will be included into the Labor Standards Act (LSA).

Labor groups attributed the long drag in response to the MHW wanting to please the hospital.

Chi Mei Hospital should retract their appeal of the ruling, said labour groups.

The Reform Task Force said that other than Tsai, there have been nine other cases of doctors being injured by overworking, a sign that the LSA needs to be amended.

Despite having three hospitals and a museum under the Chi Mei brand, the hospital refuses to compensate Tsai, his wife said yesterday.

According to Tsai's wife, Tsai now has the mental capacity of a 6-year-old.

"Doctors are humans, too, so why is it that they cannot be included in the LSA," asked Tsai's wife.vTAIPEI, Taiwan -- The Taiwan High Court, Tainan Branch announced this month after a second ruling that Chi Mei Hospital would be liable in compensating former surgical doctor Tsai Po-chiang for his workplace injury.

The hospital will have to pay Tsai NT$1.240.000 in retirement pension as well as NT$7.8 million in compensation for his workplace injury.

Tsai's case is the first case where an overworked doctor will receive compensation for workplace injury.

Five years ago, Tsai suffered incurable amnesia since he was so overworked at the hospital. Even though the Bureau of Labor Insurance (BLI) confirmed Tsai's diagnosis to be a workplace injury due to overwork, the road to receiving compensation from Chi Mei has been difficult.

Labor groups and the Doctors' Working Conditions Reform Task Force said that the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MHW) should provide a timeline of when doctors will be included into the Labor Standards Act (LSA).

Labor groups attributed the long drag in response to the MHW wanting to please the hospital.

Chi Mei Hospital should retract their appeal of the ruling, said labour groups.

The Reform Task Force said that other than Tsai, there have been nine other cases of doctors being injured by overworking, a sign that the LSA needs to be amended.

Despite having three hospitals and a museum under the Chi Mei brand, the hospital refuses to compensate Tsai, his wife said yesterday.

According to Tsai's wife, Tsai now has the mental capacity of a 6-year-old.

"Doctors are humans, too, so why is it that they cannot be included in the LSA," asked Tsai's wife.