HK Children's Hospital on track to resume ENT services by end of year: HA chief

The Hong Kong Children's Hospital is set to gradually resume services in its ear, nose, and throat (ENT) department during the second half of this year, as stated by the chief executive of the Hospital Authority (HA) Tony Ko Pat-sing.

The ENT department's operations were suspended last November due to a manpower shortage, leading to over 500 patients being redirected to other public hospitals for treatment.

Speaking on a radio program on Sunday (Feb 23), Ko emphasized that they aim to resume services as soon as possible in the upcoming quarter.

He explained that the temporary closure was primarily due to a number of staff members departing from the department within a brief span of time at the hospital.

As the situation stabilized with increased staffing levels, Ko stated that the hospital would begin allowing non-ENT specialists to manage relatively straightforward cases. The initiative is intended to facilitate the acquisition of experience and to encourage the participation of non-locally trained physicians in select cases.

Regarding the potential budget cut due to the government's fiscal deficit, Ko noted that HA has been implementing different measures to reduce costs, including purchasing medications and medical equipment from the mainland.

Ko also emphasized the role of technology in boosting colleagues' efficiency. That includes trialing generative AI for medical report generation and implementing a patient risk system designed to alert medical staff when a patient's condition may worsen based on their vital signs and medical history. 

In response to the 31 improvement recommendations to the HA by the Review Committee on the Management of the Public Hospital System, Ko anticipated the measures could be completed or implemented within half a year.