Timely opening for non-profit hospital

CUHK Medical Centre, the SAR's first non-profit private teaching hospital, started operating yesterday to provide seven types of services, including a general outpatient clinic that charges HK$330 in its initial launch period.

After six years of planning and construction, the 14-story hospital next to the Chinese University's Sha Tin campus has 516 in-patient and 90 day beds, 28 operating theaters and 56 consultation rooms.

In the first phase of operations, it only provides outpatient and day services involving general, specialist and eye clinics, with services covering endoscopy, physiotherapy, radiology and cardiac examination.

The specialist outpatient clinic covers a range of services such as internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, pediatrics, orthopedics and traumatology, family medicine, ear, nose and throat, cardiology, gastroenterology and hepatology, urology, neurology and neurosurgery and infectious diseases.

Apart from the general outpatient clinic, other services require advance bookings.

Labeled a smart hospital, it has introduced IT concepts in medical procedures and daily operations, such as a multidose dispensing system for outpatients to pack different drugs required into a ready-to-use pouch.

Patients can then easily take medication correctly, minimizing the risk of missing a dose or taking the wrong medication.

Chief executive Fung Hong said: "Making use of smart technologies, we aim to improve the patient's experience, enhance efficiency of operations and provide quality services."

Like other private hospitals here, it has developed package prices for operations and medical procedures that cover all costs for doctors, nurses, treatment, medication and beds.

Despite being the 13th private hospital, the non-profit institution is fully university owned.

All surpluses will be plowed back to the hospital for further development.

"CUHKMC shoulders a social mission to bridge the gaps between public and private health care in Hong Kong," Fung said.

Dozens of people yesterday went to the hospital for a visit and photo-taking, while patients said they found the fees reasonable.

A Sha Tin resident, Leung, went to the general outpatient clinic yesterday. "I felt mild discomfort so I came to try the new hospital," he said. "I think the price range is reasonable."

Another Sha Tin resident, Chow, said: "It's good to have a new private hospital in the district to encourage competition."