I would like to express my sincere
gratitude to the members of the Taiwanese Continence
Society for your support and encouragement. It is a
great honor to be given the privilege to serve as sixth
Chairman of the President of the society.
With great efforts of our founding Chairman Dr. Han-Sun
Chiang, and the succeeding Prof. Alex T.L. Lin and Prof.
H.C. Kuo, the Taiwanese Continence Society has acquired
satisfactory results in educating related doctors and
nurses, proving correct knowledge of incontinence and
continence control to the general republic, and
establishing the concept of the prevention and treatment
of incontinence. We have now accomplished the three
stages of the objective. Firstly, we gave the public a
new understanding of continence control and the
importance of the prevention and treatment of
incontinence. Secondly, we held seminars of voiding
dusfuncion and incontinence, and organized the training
programs for those working on these issues. Thirdly, we
gathered Taiwan’s specialists to make the guideline for
diagnoses and treatment of various voiding dysfunction,
including overactive bladder, lower urinary tract
symptoms, interstitial cystitis, pelvic organ prolapsed,
benign prostatic hyperplasia, neurogenic voiding
dysfunction, and continence promotion for aged people.
The Taiwanese Continence Society has the future
objectives for our work:
1.
To share information on the prevention and
treatment of incontinence by the internet, to
enhance the communication and contact among our
members, and to stretch our services. We hope
the society platform can be available to other
Chinese communities.
2.
To strengthen the health education for
people living in remote towns, and to shorten
the knowledge gap between urban and rural areas.
3.
To integrate the research, started with the
epidemiology of Ketamine cystitis, which is a
serious problem in Taiwan.
4.
To accumulate and pass on the research
results on continence control, and to enhance
the cooperation and experience sharing of
scholars from other countries.
5.
To provide the easy-reading Chinese version
of our reports, newsletters and publications, so
that the general public can be benefit from
them.
I’d like to thank our members for the dedication and
active participation to accomplish our missions and
goals. Yet not much can be accomplished without the
necessary means. We are in need of funds and other
resources. For the activities of educating continence
control in public, communities and nursing homes, we
will look for government grants as previous years, and
will expand the donation from other people or society.
We hope that more and more colleagues will join our
society to work for prevention of incontinence and
promote the health of lower urinary tract, so that we
can make all of our people have good urinary flow as
well as continence control.
With the full support of the members of the Taiwanese
Continence Society, I am honored to be elected as the
Chairman of the board. In the forthcoming three years, I
pledge to continue the work of former leaders, to gather
the most outstanding scholars and specialists, to
provide better concepts and knowledge for continence
control, and to promote the health of Taiwanese on the
lower urinary tract. The continuous encouragement and
support from the members and the general public for the
Taiwanese Continence Society will be greatly
appreciated.
Dr. Yao-Chi Chuang
President of Taiwanese Continence Society
Chief, Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung
Memorial Hospital
The Taiwanese Continence Society is a non-profit social organization established in September 1997 by doctors and nursing staff from medical centers
and academic hospitals devoted to public welfare. Its professional members
currently total over 500.
The objectives of the Taiwanese Continence Society are:
To integrate local health care professionals and other people providing service to incontinence patients in order to help these patients acquire a proper attitude toward incontinence.
To organize academic seminars and engage in exchange activities with similar international organizations so as to provide health care professionals with the latest information on the prevention and treatment of incontinence.
Since the establishment of the Taiwanese Continence Society, emphasis has been placed on
the promotion of public welfare activities and health care, while services have been aimed at incontinence care for patients suffering from pediatric enuresis,
female urinary incontinence, male urinary incontinence, geriatric urinary incontinence, impaired urinary elimination caused by prostatic hypertrophy,
long-term clinical problems, etc. The Society’s service area stretches around the island of Taiwan
and extra attention is paid to more backward areas with lower medical standards.
In addition to organizing activities in conjunction with
government departments and agencies, the Society also engages in the following
The organization of health lectures, such as to spread informationon the prevention and treatment of incontinence and enuresis in schools, communities and nursing home.
The publishing of a society newsletter; currently the newsletter is published once every three months and distributed free of charge to the outpatient departments of hospitals to provide information on the prevention and treatment of incontinence.
The organization of on-the-job training programs for health care professionals and academic seminars in order to provide local health care professionalswith the latest information on the prevention and treatment of incontinence.
The organization of Kegel exercise classes and bed-wetting camps, providing professional consultation for incontinence-related problems and the seeking of medical treatment.
Under the dynamic leadership of prof. Alex T.L.Lin, President of the society, four committees have been established to promote the execution of general affairs, namely a Newsletter Editing Committee, an Internet Publishing Committee, an Academic Committee and a Nursing Committee.
As a result of this combined effort, the Society has attained a new image, taking it into a whole new era and gaining support, recognition and positive response from different directions.
Future objectives include the further promotion of public health activities and the introduction of health concepts in a bid to make a contribution to the general public health of Taiwan.
Following is an introduction to the function of the
four committees.
Dr. Stephen S.D., Yang, chief of the Department
of Urology of the ECK Hospital, was called upon to take the position of chairman
of the Newsletter Editing Committee, while various doctors in obstetrics and
gynecology and in urology as well as incontinence nursing teachers were asked to
function as committee members.
A team of editing members made the publication
of a new newsletter possible. A completely new layout was made to increase the
scope and profundity of services, and topics were planned for each different
issue. An editing member was appointed for each issue and put in charge of
editing and inviting for submission of articles.
Each issue of the newsletter aims to give the
public a new understanding of the prevention and treatment of incontinence and
to become a reference in the education of health care professionals.
“Activity Sidelights” and “Academic Reports” form the
footprints of our seminars and other activities. In
addition, we also invite members to submit abstracts of
seminars so that everyone can share the information.
“Latest Developments in Medicine” and “Q&A”
function as a bridge between the public and health care professionals. Professionals are encouraged to submit articles to develop this section, and in
addition to publication in the newsletter, articles will also be posted on the
website of the Taiwanese Continence Society for increased exposure.
The public is welcome to send in questions that
will be answered in detail by a professional.
The position of chairman of the Internet
Publishing Committee has been filled by Dr.
Edward C.S., Chen, chief of the Department of
Urology of the Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital in Chiayi, while web design experts have been
recruited as members of the Committee
responsible for the planning of a new website
so that full advantage can be taken of the
unlimited possibilities of the Internet and
people can make use of readily available
information.
As of June 2001, design and
management of the website, originally outsourced, has
been taken into own hands, so that funds originally
spent on high website maintenance fees could be
reallocated to the production of publications of the
Society. From June 2001 to April 2002, extensive
reconstruction and innovation of the website took place,
while systematic editing was applied to fully organize
all content. The outer appearance of the website was
somewhat neglected, however, until April 2002 when Ms.Jennifer Lee who has a
background in information management, started
to get involved in the design and periodical
updating of the website. The outlook of the
website gradually improved and
animation was added, making the website more
attractive.. Thanks to Ms.Jennifer Lee the web
content has been enhanced to a level qualifying
the “update by call” era. Now, any news on
events and periodical literature or activities
can be posted on the society’s website after
approval by a committee member or the
secretariat, while latest
information can be uploaded at any given time.
Also, monthly newsletters are sent to members
by email, providing them with the latest
information about the society.
In addition to instant processing, the web
content was linked up with the academic team in
June 2002 to promote literature reading so as
to provide an additional service to
professional members, while in September 2002 a
discussion room and a bulletin board were
introduced to give members the opportunity to
exchange views. Case analyses by
Dr. H.C., Kuo chairman of the Academic
Committee, provide another valuable reference
for doctors of the younger generation.
Planning is still underway for the design of a search
engine which should facilitate even faster services.
In the past the Taiwanese Continence
Society strived to educate the public and pass on
experience in the prevention and treatment of
incontinence. To date, there is a need of expansion to
promote academic research.
On invitation of prof. Alex T.L., Lin President
of the society., Dr.H.C., Kuo, chief of the
Department of Urology of the Hualien Tzu Chi
General Hospital and devotee to the education
of young doctors and technical staff, has taken
the position of chairman of the Academic
Committee. He has systematically planned annual
educational activities
and periodical seminars at various locations,
giving interested professionals an opportunity
to make a concerted effort to explore the
field. He has also had a hand in the expansion
of the academic content of the Society’s
General Assembly of Members and the increase of
opportunities to publish papers and hold
thematic seminars, setting the
stage for communication between local
specialists in related fields, while bringing
the Society to a new academic level and
creating a new image, which has resulted in
greater recognition by increasing numbers of
professionals!
In 2002, three “Seminars on Urodynamics” were
held in Kaohsiung, Taichung and Taipei
respectively, attracting over 500 local health
care professionals. Local specialists in the
field of urodynamics were invited to lecture,
while product suppliers gave product
presentations, introducing participants to the
latest products and materials.
In order to raise the standard of female urology in
Taiwan, two “Seminars on Female Urology” are planned to
be held in Kaohsiung
and Taipei in 2003. These seminars aim to bring
together specialists from female urology and
urologynecology, so that problems can be
approached from different angles and
participants will gain a new recognition
and understanding of female urology. These
seminars form some of the few large-scale
academic seminars on obstetrics & gynecology
and urology held in Taiwan in the past few
years.
Finally, a “Literature Reading Team” has been
established consisting of a number of local medical
specialists and nursing teachers who periodically review
various journals and make summaries of valuable
information. Every month these summaries are sent by
email to members by the secretary of the Internet
Publishing Committee and posted on the website. Dr. H.C., Kuo, also makes a
collection of case analyses to be posted
periodically on the website so as to provide a
valuable reference for doctors of the younger
generation.
Future Direction:
Seminars on Urodynamics techniques: these
courses are aimed at examiners and young
doctors engaged in urodynamics, who willbe
awarded with a certificate issued by the
Society.
Clinical application of urodynamics:
relevant articles on local experience in the
field will be submitted by senior physicians
and posted on the website, and bound into book
form in the future, to serve as a reference for
young doctors and technical staff.
Formation of research teams: such as a care
team for urinary system dysfunction due to
spinal cord injury, a stress urinary
incontinenceresearch team, a urodynamics
techniques research team, an interstitial
cystitis research team, a prostate gland
treatment research team,a hyperactive bladder
research team and a pelvic floor muscle
training team. Through the collaboration
between interested specialists the society
hopes to accomplish valuable study results.
Even though there is a high prevalence
of incontinence and the disorder has a major effect on
patients’ physical, mental and social state, assistance
provided by hospitals still mainly consists of the
treatment of symptoms and tends to neglect comprehensive
needs. A woman, for example, may experience some leaking
of urine and occasional uncontrollable release of gas
caused by injury of the birth canal during childbirth.
She will probably seek treatment with her gynecologist,
but will most likely not receive proper treatment for
the problems of gas release and a more sensitive sex
life.
Also, as most doctors are male, many patients
suffering from female incontinence or abnormal pelvic
muscle function feel embarrassed and will conceal the
problem. Nursing professionals in the USA and Europe
have come up with a solution that can meet patients’
needs and provide assistance where the medical world
fails to do so and developed so-called incontinence care
centers (USA) and continence advisors (UK), in the hope
that these can provide patients with the comprehensive
service that is so needed.
At the request of prof. Alex T.L., Lin President of the society, Dr.,C.h.,Tsai .chief of the Department of Nursing of the Tzu-Chi College of Technology and holding a master’s degree in elderly care from the Pennsylvania State University and a doctor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh, has taken the position of chairman of the Community Continence Promotion Committee, while local incontinence nursing specialists were added to the team to plan activities for education in the prevention and treatment of female urinary incontinence and to compile teaching materials for the education of the public. To date, a VCD-concise version on “Leakproof and Fit - pelvic floor muscle
exercises” and a VCD-professional version on “Leakproof and Fit - pelvic floor muscle exercises” have been completed.
The Community Continence Promotion Committee has also
taken up the responsibility to organize “incontinence
prevention and treatment nurses”training courses, hoping to help define the role and function of incontinence prevention and treatment nurses, as well as core courses, training opportunities and certification. The committee aims to provide a channel for local nursing professionals interested in the prevention and treatment of incontinence to participate in advanced training programs, and hopes that through this concerted effort incontinence prevention and treatment nurses will in the future berecognized
and will be able to play a positive professional role in
the medical world.
