• Residents of Penghu County

• Populations at high risk for lung cancer

• Patients with suspected or confirmed lung cancerㄡ

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Taiwan. Owing to geographic isolation, patients in Penghu frequently experience delays in diagnosis and difficulties in referral. Since 2019, Tri-Service General Hospital (TSGH) has led the "Localization of Lung Cancer Treatment" initiative. Guided by the principle of "Doctors Travel, Patients Stay," TSGH established a comprehensive continuum of care at its Penghu Branch, spanning screening, diagnosis, minimally invasive surgery, and pharmacotherapy. Through regular consultations by medical-center specialists and the use of 5G-enable telemedicine, the program has successfully narrowed the healthcare gap for the offshore islands, allowing patients to receive high-quality care close to home.

• "Doctors Travel, Patients Stay": Specialists perform surgery on-site in Penghu.

• One-stop Integrated Care: The only complete lung cancer care continuum on the island.

• Smart Medicine: AI-assisted detection, 5G-based AR tele-collaboration, and 3D surgical planning.

• Accumulated over 450 minimal invasive VATS cases completed to date.

• Over 290 LDCT screening services.

• Approximately 150~160 outpatient visits per month.

• The 5-year survival rate reached 84.9%.

• Average postoperative hospital stay reduced to 3-5 days.

• Over 90% of patients completed treatment locally.

• Zero major complications in preoperative localization.

• Standardized anesthesia monitoring with zero accidents.

• Adopt ERAS protocols to accelerate patient recovery and minimize postoperative infection risks.

• Achieved "Satisfied" and "Very Satisfied" levels in overall patient satisfaction.

• Highly rated by patients for the convenience of post-op follow-ups.

• Fostered doctor-patient trust, significantly increasing willingness for local surgery.

• Published over 100 international peer-reviewed papers on lung cancer surgery.

• Presented the results of "Medical Localization for Offshore Islands" at the 2021 Annual Meeting of the Taiwan Surgical Association.

• Shared the "Medical Center-Level Care System" at the Taiwan Lung Cancer Society on May 25, 2025.

• Reduced carbon emissions by tens of thousands of kilograms annually.

• Saved patients over NT$8,000 per visit on travel and lodging expenses.

• Built a replicable offshore medical model to fill rural care gaps.