During the Japanese occupation before the liberation of Taiwan, Taipei had two
independent professional organizations of medical practitioners, namely the
Medical Association of Taipei City, established by the Japanese, and the Taipei
Medical Association, established by Taiwanese physicians. After the liberation
of Taiwan in August 1945, entrepreneur physicians of Taipei city immediately
organized, and on October 18 of that same year, a general meeting was held
after which the Taipei Medical Association was officially established. In April
of 1946, registration of the Association was approved, thus becoming the first
established civil organization of Taiwan. At the time, membership was voluntary
and Dr. Lin Ching-yueh was the first president of the Association which then
consisted of 104 members.
After establishment, various activities were introduced, such as promotion of
the concept of 'respecting the old and honoring the virtuous' and appealing to
the public to implement traditional moral values; in order to prevent the
redirection of hospitals for other purposes, the authorities were requested to
maintain hospital practices; the Medical Disputes Evaluation Committee was
established; trips to Japan were made to examine its medical system, etc. Of
course, much emphasis was placed on providing a service to the public and
physicians. During reconstruction in the early days after liberation, the
Association thus offered an indelible contribution to the social stability and
public health.
On February 1, 1957, the Taipei Medical Association for the first time
published the 'Taipei Medical Association Report', which was sent to all
members each month. Its publisher was the tenth president of the Taipei Medical
Association, Dr. Hung Lee-feng. In January 1979, the name of this publication,
the Association's main outlet and medium for communication with members, was
changed into the 'Bulletin of Taipei Medical Association'.
During the early days of establishment, the president's address was also used
as the address of the Association, and whenever a new president was elected,
the Association's address changed as well. Upon the eleventh president Chang
Shao-lien's suggestion in 1960 that the Association should have its own
headquarters, the Development Committee for a Taipei Medical Association
Headquarters was formed in 1961, and 1.1 million in funds was collected from
members in 6 months. Hsing Lin Co. Ltd. was founded and a five-storey building
on Chunghwa road purchased. While property rights were assigned to Hsing Lin
Co. Ltd., the Association took up headquarters on the third and fourth floors.
In July 1976, Dr. Wu Tsuo-jen took up his post of the Association's fourth
president after Taipei was placed under the central government's direct
jurisdiction. Again, a task force was established to plan the purchase of an
Association headquarters, and after careful consideration and approval of the
board of directors and supervisors, members' donations and contributions and
the Association's shares of Hsing Lin Co. Ltd. were sold. With the resulting
funds and the Association's other accumulated funds, the Association was able
to purchase the sixth and seventh floors of the Tung Men Building located at
No. 74, Hsinyi Road Section 2 (the Association's current address), for the sum
of 5 million NT dollars.
Initially, association membership was voluntary, but after implementation of
the physicians' law on September 11, 1975, it was stipulated that all certified
physicians who practice in Taipei city must become members of the Taipei
Medical Association, resulting in a sudden increase in members. As of begin
2003, membership totaled 7,304. The main objective of the Association is to
service its members, to assist them in solving problems, and to fight for
beneficial health policies and benefits for members and the public. To smoothen
operations, 16 committees that each have their own responsibilities and that
report to the board of directors have been established. These form the
communication bridge between the Association and its members, the government
and the public.