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2021 July
Flagship Chinese Medicine Hospital in Earnest Preparation

Hong Kong’s first Chinese medicine hospital is scheduled for phased opening in the second quarter of 2025. Chan Wing-kwong, Chairman of the Hong Kong Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioners Association and Deputy Convener of the Hong Kong Chinese Medicine Specialty Development Working Group, is confident this flagship facility can alleviate public health service overload in the long run and lay the groundwork for future development of Chinese medicine research in Hong Kong.

 

Chan said that the flagship medicine hospital marks a milestone in the development of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong. He believes “the hospital can play a leading role in integrating Chinese medicine into modern healthcare.”

 

Chinese medicine in Hong Kong progressing towards evidence-based medicine

The Chinese medicine hospital will adopt a service model that focuses on pure Chinese medicine remedies, and primarily Chinese medicine healthcare supplemented by clinically necessary western medicine service. Chan stressed that there are different divisions of Chinese medicine treatment, and he believes this hospital will promote intensive and concentrated effort as well as long-term development of all medical divisions.

 

As for generating value in healthcare, the Chinese medicine hospital will conduct evidence-based research to explore new clinical applications of Chinese medicine and broaden the scope of application and clinical efficacy. Chan said that Chinese medicine treatment has gained importance in recent years. He pointed out “this hospital will facilitate the establishment of a case database and lay the groundwork for future development of Chinese medicine research.”

 

The Chinese medicine hospital will be a smart hospital with intelligent physical design and work procedures. Modern technology is employed to provide effective, safe, convenient, green and efficient healthcare services.

Anticipated reduction of public healthcare burden

The 400-bed Chinese medicine hospital will offer in-patient and out-patient services along with comprehensive Chinese medicine division care. The range of services available in the first year is likely to be internal medicine, acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine orthopedics, together with at least four Chinese medicine special illness projects. The out-patient department will have 70 consultation rooms and 45 treatment rooms. It is expected to give 310,000 consultations per annum. The 18 Chinese medicine clinics cum training and research centers, on the other hand, will provide out-patient service at the regional level, while selected public hospitals will offer integrated Chinese-western medicine inpatient treatment service.

 

Chan thinks the launch of a Chinese medicine hospital has a special significance to Hong Kong. While expanding the coverage of Chinese medicine treatment in Hong Kong, it also provides a comprehensive development and training platform to Chinese medicine practitioners. He firmly believes that it can alleviate the burden of the currently overloaded public healthcare system and strengthen support to patients with chronic illnesses.

 

CEPA paves an easier way for Hong Kong and Macao Chinese medicine practitioners to operate in the Greater Bay Area

Given the dearth of employment and internship vacancies, Chan does not think the market will be able to absorb all practitioners. Guangdong province announced earlier that Hong Kong and Macao Chinese medicine practitioners will be allowed under CEPA to practice on the Mainland on a short-term basis. This measure facilitates Hong Kong and Macao Chinese medicine professionals to work in public healthcare organizations on the Mainland, and will attract young Hong Kong and Macao Chinese medicine practitioners to provide service or set up operations in the Greater Bay Area, and help address the manpower surplus issue of the employment market.

 

Chan hopes that “this first hospital will be followed by another”. Backed by extensive facilities of a dedicated hospital, Hong Kong can provide training, internship, education and research locally. He also hopes the Hong Kong Chinese medicine sector will take active part in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, establish a more influential presence and raise the bar to promote progress of the profession as a whole.