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The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong has seen strong service demand and an enthusiastic public response since opening about nine months ago, said its chief executive Bian Zhaoxiang as he noted that the hospital will strengthen collaboration with community-based clinics.
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Speaking on a radio program on Sunday, Bian said the hospital has increased outpatient service quotas four times to meet demand, with development moving faster than expected.
He said the hospital will launch 24-hour inpatient services starting this December, offering 93 beds in its first year to cater to patients with mobility difficulties, serious illnesses, and complex conditions requiring close monitoring.
The hospital projects total outpatient attendance of 140,000 in its first year, rising to 260,000 in its second year. To meet the growing demand, Bian said recruitment for Chinese medicine practitioners and nursing staff is progressing smoothly.
He said the hospital has hired a batch of local Chinese medicine graduates with prior experience working in mainland hospitals. Newly recruited nurses will be sent to Guangdong for specialized training to enhance their understanding of Chinese medicine.
Bian said that achieving round-the-clock service also requires strong support from the pharmacy, where recruitment is underway under strict quality controls.
He added that smart technology has been introduced to improve operational efficiency, including automated medicine-dispensing and decocting robots, as well as moxibustion robots.
The hospital plans to offer 23 special disease programmes, with the initial phase focusing on post-stroke rehabilitation. Highlighting treatment for post-stroke swallowing difficulties, Bian said that combining specialized Chinese herbal medicine with acupuncture can produce better results than speech therapy alone. He stressed that programme selection will be based on proven clinical efficacy and whether they provide alternative options for patients.
Bian said the hosptial plans to establish a well-developed two-way referral system with community Chinese medicine clinics, enabling patients to receive follow-up consultations in their neighbourhoods rather than traveling to the hospital in Tseung Kwan O.
