Web Search Trends of Implementing the Patient Autonomy Act in Taiwan

Background: The Patient Autonomy Act was implemented in Taiwan on 6 January 2019. It is the first patient-oriented act in Taiwan, and also the first special act to completely protect patient autonomy in Asia. Our study aimed to investigate the web resources citizens were able to access on the eve of the implementation of the Patient Autonomy Act in Taiwan. Methods: Patient Autonomy Act-related web resources were searched for by entering 10 related terms individually into the Google search engine in January 2019 and again in April 2019. Search activity data were analyzed using Google Trends. Results: “Advance care planning” and “advance decision” were the most relevant keywords for finding information about the Patient Autonomy Act on the eve of the act’s implementation in Taiwan. The main online information sources were non-governmental websites including news sites and online magazines. The related search volume only increased on the eve of implementation. Conclusions: Even though the Patient Autonomy Act was first published three years before its implementation, the related search volume only increased on the eve of its implementation. Therefore, whether the three-year buffer between its publication and implementation was necessary requires further investigation.