Telemedicine in Taiwan: A Bibliometric and Quantitative Analysis of Current Trends

Abstract

Introduction:

Telemedicine has become a vital component of Taiwan’s health care system, enhancing access, efficiency, and equity in medical services. Rapid growth has been fueled by advances in digital technologies, policy support, and increasing clinical applications, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this progress, a comprehensive overview of research trends is lacking. This study applies bibliometric and quantitative analyses to map current developments, identify key contributors, and guide future health care policy and practice.

Methods:

We conducted a bibliometric analysis of telemedicine research in Taiwan using the Web of Science Core Collection (to August 30, 2025). Publication characteristics, citation counts, and authorship patterns were analyzed. Keyword co-occurrence networks were generated with VOSviewer to identify research hotspots and thematic clusters, ensuring accuracy through independent verification.

Results:

From 1998 to 2025, telemedicine research in Taiwan has shown steady growth, with publication counts rising sharply after 2010 and peaking in 2024. Key contributors include National Taiwan University, National Cheng Kung University, and Taipei Medical University, which lead in both publication volume and citation impact. Highly cited studies address telemedicine applications, COVID-19 responses, and digital health innovations. Co-occurrence network analysis highlights four major research themes: clinical telemedicine, health care management and policy, COVID-19–related digital health, and AI-driven technologies. Challenges remain in rural areas, including infrastructure, technology acceptance, and workforce shortages, underscoring the need for targeted strategies to expand telemedicine.

Conclusions:

Future telemedicine research in Taiwan should prioritize rural health care, leveraging 5G, AI, and smart technologies to enhance care efficiency, accuracy, and resource allocation, supporting sustainable, high-quality, and equitable medical services aligned with Environmental, Social, and Governance principles.