Press Releases

18 Dec 2023

CUHK Medical Centre Hosts “Innovation Symposium - Pioneering Solutions in Healthcare 2023” To Promote New Medical Experience

The “CUHK Medical Centre (CUHKMC) Innovation Symposium - Pioneering Solutions in Healthcare 2023” came to a successful close on 17 December 2023, featuring a series of inspirational and thought-provoking panel sessions and talks by heavyweight speakers and professionals on novel technology in medicine and healthcare. As the second event after its debut in 2021, this year’s event had attracted more than 580 industry leaders and members of the public attending in person and online. In his opening remarks, Dr. Chien LEE, Chairman of the Board of CUHKMC, said, “In the past, people have witnessed the advancements of vaccines and medications, but the past decades have seen more technological advances, revolutionising the healthcare sector. Advances such as artificial intelligence and robotic surgery are transforming healthcare globally, enhancing efficiency of healthcare systems, and boosting clinical practice precision.” The symposium consisted of two sessions. In the morning session themed “Visioning Futures”, targeting at industry and medical professionals, featured four panel sessions delivered by eminent medical professionals and technology experts.  Professor Philip CHIU, Associate Dean (External Affairs) of the Faculty of Medicine and Professor of the Department of Surgery at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) gave a keynote address on the future of robotic surgery.  Professor Joseph SUNG, Distinguished University Professor, Senior Vice President (Health & Life Sciences) and Dean, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, was present to deliver an address on AI in medicine.  Professor Teodor GRANTCHAROV, Professor of Surgery (General Surgery) of the School of Medicine of Stanford University, United States, shared with the audience on how to ensure patient safety in operating room. Ms Fan YANG, Overseas Healthcare Market & Cooperation Representative of the Global Public Sector of Huawei, talked about the future of Internet of Things (IoT) and Internet of Medical Things (IoMT). In the afternoon session themed “Current Advances @ CUHKMC”, CUHK professors and CUHKMC specialists hosted 12 health talks covering a vast range of topics related to minimally invasive surgery, medical innovation and advancement in cancer treatment, to share with public the latest development of medical treatments. (Please refer to the Appendix (in Chinese only) for detailed rundown).  Dr. Hong FUNG, Chief Executive Officer of CUHKMC, said, “Innovation and technology has been playing a significant role in healthcare, and which emphasizes collaboration between working teams, and with counterparts and partners as well. The exchange of knowledge is crucial for advancing innovation and technology. That’s why we have organised this Symposium, to bring together thought leaders, technology experts and innovators to discuss and explore the endless possibilities and implications of innovation technology in healthcare.” The hospital’s first Open House was also organised on the same day, showcasing some of the major services and technologies to members of the public, including Radiotherapy Centre, Imaging & Interventional Radiology Centre, Cardiology Centre, Urology Centre, Eye Centre and Day Surgery Centre.  Appendix (In Chinese only) 醫學新猷健康講座內容 微創手術治療 如何透過白內障手術矯正近視、遠視、散光和老花眼 譚智勇教授 內鏡機械人對早期腸胃癌的治療：從實驗室到臨床 趙偉仁教授 治療良性前列腺增生及前列腺癌的最新微創手術 趙家鋒教授 機械人輔助腹腔鏡前列腺切除術 侯仕明醫生 醫學創新 運動醫學新紀元：創新科技與醫體融合 容樹恒教授 冠狀動脈鈣化血管處理的新技術 陳裕豪醫生 介入性取栓治療 - 中風病人新希望 蔡紹俊醫生 以人工智能擊退腦退化 莫仲棠教授 癌症治療 癌症治療新方向：精和準 陳林教授 肺癌治療的多模式攻略新時代 司徒達麟醫生 微創肝切除術在肝癌治療的最新發展 吳國際醫生 精準腫瘤治療：核磁影像導向放射治療臨床經驗分享 唐美思醫生

12 Dec 2023

中大醫院和互康集團攜手推出醫院賬單理賠分拆服務 提升醫療費用透明度 香港永明金融有限公司高度支持 (Only available in Chinese)

Only available in Chinese

11 Dec 2023

Manulife Hong Kong and CUHK Medical Centre Expand Partnership To Offer Cashless Pre-Approval Service for CUHK Medical Centre’s Over 300 All-Inclusive Hospital Packages

Manulife Hong Kong and CUHK Medical Centre announced today the expansion of their partnership to offer a cashless pre-approval service for over 300 all-inclusive hospital packages, including endoscopic and surgical procedures, provided by CUHK Medical Centre. Upon obtaining pre-approval, Manulife customers with selected medical plans can now access these hospital packages without paying upfront, thereby ensuring increased peace of mind and flexibility. The expanded partnership between Manulife Hong Kong and CUHK Medical Centre underscores their shared commitment to meeting the community’s growing health and protection needs. This collaboration is in line with Manulife’s strategic vision of expanding its medical provider network in Hong Kong and other cities within the Greater Bay Area (GBA), as well as in other parts of Mainland China. It also aligns with CUHK Medical Centre’s mission of delivering quality healthcare services at predictable package fees. “We are proud of our extended partnership with CUHK Medical Centre, which has enabled us to give our customers with selected medical plans easy access to a diverse range of all-inclusive hospital packages covering day and inpatient medical services, all at predictable prices,” said Carrie TONG, Chief Operations Officer at Manulife Hong Kong and Macau. “CUHK Medical Centre’s commitment to quality patient-centred services and clinical excellence perfectly aligns with our own dedication towards providing an exceptional customer journey.” The all-inclusive packages provide Manulife customers with budget certainty while offering well-rounded medical coverage and professional medical services. These packages include hospital room and board, surgeon’s fees, doctor’s visits, medical appliances and more – all under the established clinical governance of CUHK Medical Centre. Dr. Hong FUNG, Chief Executive Officer of CUHK Medical Centre, said: “We are delighted to extend our partnership with Manulife, which we believe will bring about a synergy in delivering quality patient care to those in need. By integrating our package fees with Manulife’s cashless pre-approval arrangement, we aim to provide a seamless and hassle-free patient journey, making it a truly one-stop experience. This echoes well with our patient-first rationale and our mission of providing healthcare services at predictable fees to the community.” In-person and onsite support for a seamless medical experience As part of the expanded partnership, customers with designated plans can benefit from the dedicated support of Manulife's Personalized Medical Case Managers (PMCM). The PMCM team, which includes registered nurses and professionals with healthcare backgrounds, will be assigned to assist customers throughout their treatment journey and ease any health worries they may have. Moving forward, the PMCM service will be expanded to cover other complex surgeries. In addition, onsite ambassadors will be available at CUHK Medical Centre to provide Manulife customers with on-the-spot support for cashless pre-approval, hospital services, and language assistance. This ensures that customers have a superior experience and feel reassured during their visit to CUHK Medical Centre. This latest collaboration builds on Manulife’s earlier partnership with CUHK Medical Centre in 2021, which provided Manulife customers with priority access to CUHK Medical Centre’s oncologists for a one-time, free independent medical consultation. 

07 Dec 2023

CUHK Medical Centre and The GBA Healthcare Group announce strategic cooperation to jointly build The GBA Integrated Value Based Care Partnership Ecosystem

Today, CUHK Medical Centre ("CUHKMC") and The GBA Healthcare Group (HK) Limited ("GBAH Group") signed a strategic cooperation agreement, to jointly build The GBA Integrated Value Based Care Partnership Ecosystem. Dr Hong FUNG, Chief Executive Officer of CUHK Medical Centre and Dr Felix LEE, Co-Chief Executive Officer of the GBA Healthcare Group were present at the signing ceremony for this collaborative. Based on years of experience in Guangdong-Hong Kong medical collaboration, GBAH Group officially launches the initiative to establish "The GBA Integrated Value Based Care Partnership Ecosystem" and announces CUHK Medical Centre as its first partner hospital in Hong Kong. Both parties are committed to patient health outcomes and will jointly provide cross-border healthcare services covering general outpatient services in the Greater Bay Area, and specialized inpatient services in Hong Kong for residents in the Greater Bay Area. Concurrently, CUHKMC declares GBAH Group as its "Designated Value Based Care Insurance Proposition Partner", aiming to meet policyholders' healthcare service needs in Hong Kong by partnering with insurance companies to create health insurance plans that offer all-inclusive package fees and cover cross-border medical services. With the acceleration of the aging society, medical expenses are rapidly increasing. However, there is still a need to improve medical efficiency and effectiveness. Due to insufficient prevention, the number of patients with tumors and chronic diseases is increasing year by year. The disease-centered medical model needs to quickly transition to a health-centered model. “Value-based care” concept emerged in 2006 and has since become a widely discussed topic globally. However, in China, it is still in its early stages. In contrast to traditional healthcare models, value-based care seeks to balance the business paradox of "good, fast, and cheap" by providing better healthcare services and achieving improved health outcomes at more affordable medical costs.  Value-based care has the following characteristics: Focuses on health rather than disease. Charges based on patient health outcomes rather than services. Provides the most cost-effective healthcare services under the premise of improving patient health outcomes. For various stakeholders in healthcare services, value-based healthcare holds the following values: Payers: Controls costs and reduces risks by creating health insurance products based on disease prevention. Providers: Focuses on delivering services most beneficial to patient health without worrying about over or under servicing. Patients: Obtains better treatment and preventive care at a lower cost. By coordinating the incentive mechanisms for payers, healthcare providers, and patients, the goal is to improve societal health levels and reduce overall healthcare expenditures. Dr Hong FUNG, Chief Executive Officer of CUHK Medical Centre (“CUHKMC”), said, "We are delighted to form strategic partnership with GBAH Group, which has been deeply rooted in the Greater Bay Area for many years, promoting Hong Kong-style medical services to multiple cities in the Greater Bay Area through a public-private partnership model. It is a pioneer and promoter of Guangdong-Hong Kong medical collaboration, possessing valuable experience in value-based care practices. CUHKMC shares a common goal with GBAH Group to promote population health, and aim to serve the 87 million residents in the Greater Bay Area through mutual medical support and exchanges, in particular serving the 600,000 Hong Kong residents living in the Greater Bay Area." Dr Felix LEE, Co-Chief Executive Officer of the GBA Healthcare Group (“GBAH Group”), said, "We are delighted that CUHKMC has become the first partner hospital in Hong Kong for The GBA Integrated Value Based Care Partnership Ecosystem. As the convener of the collaborative system, we carefully select clinics, hospitals, insurance companies, technology companies, and other medical-related institutions in the Greater Bay Area. Leveraging the advantages of general prevention and specialized treatment, we harness the dual protection of medical services and health insurance, providing trustworthy, affordable, and easily accessible medical services for residents in the Greater Bay Area. CUHKMC is a private university-affiliated teaching hospital in Hong Kong, with outstanding specialized capabilities and strong research and clinical strength. As the first Hong Kong partner hospital, CUHKMC will complement the mainland medical system, jointly ensuring the health of residents in the Greater Bay Area. So far, GBAH Group has over a hundred partner clinics and 8 partner hospitals being engaged in Guangdong-Hong Kong collaboration, offering diverse choices for healthcare and cross-border medical services for residents in the Greater Bay Area. Going forward, we look forward to collaborating with more partners dedicated to value-based care to jointly create a distinctive value-based care model in the Greater Bay Area." The strategic cooperation between CUHKMC and GBAH Group will begin with research and clinical exchanges at the hospital where the Hong Kong-Macau Residents Healthcare Services Center is located. Through a cross-border two-way referral service model, it aims to enrich healthcare choices for residents in the Greater Bay Area and enhance their medical experience from outpatient to inpatient, from routine care to disease treatment. With the support of the partnership system, the two parties will create innovative insurance products centered around patient health, using the most cost-effective healthcare service payment model to provide residents with the most valuable health coverage. About The GBA Integrated Value Based Care Partnership Ecosystem The GBA Integrated Value Based Care Partnership Ecosystem is a regional collaborative medical service system initiated by GBAH Group. Participants in the partnership system include payers (insurance and reinsurance companies), service providers (hospitals and clinics), technology companies (cross-border data and clinical systems), and retail pharmacies in Hong Kong and cities in the Greater Bay Area. The partnership ecosystem, centered around residents' health, aims to achieve the goal of keeping residents healthy and preventing illnesses through medical collaboration. When residents require medical services, the partnership ecosystem will synergize by integrating internet hospitals, comprehensive primary care services, and hospital specialty diagnostic and treatment resources, leveraging the advantages of cross-border medical services. This ensures that patients receive the most cost-effective treatment and preventive care, enables medical service providers to focus on delivering services that are most conducive to patient health, and allows payers to focus on creating health insurance products favorable for disease prevention, ultimately realizing the goal of trustworthy, affordable, and easily accessible healthcare services. GBAH Group is dedicated to promoting the development of value-based healthcare. Over the past five years, the company has collaborated with various local governments in the Greater Bay Area, establishing a collaborative medical network between Guangdong and Hong Kong, laying the foundation for the implementation of value-based care. Specific measures include: Providing international internet hospital services for convenient customer consultations and health inquiries. The company assigns exclusive family doctors to customers, establishes personalized health records, and achieves long-term continuous health management. Establishing Hong Kong-style general outpatient clinics in the six major cities of the Greater Bay Area for convenient local consultations. These clinics, staffed by family doctors, offer comprehensive, continuous, and personalized care services to families in the Greater Bay Area, providing health care and disease prevention services. Establishing a specialized referral service system in public community health service centers and large public hospitals, organizing Guangdong-Hong Kong expert consultations and multidisciplinary consultations, and coordinating the necessary medical resources. Forming a cross-border service network with Hong Kong outpatient clinics and hospitals to provide customers with cross-border medical services ranging from general to specialized care. Establishing the GBA Integrated Value Based Care Partnership Ecosystem, collaborating with international medical and insurance partners to introduce comprehensive outpatient and inpatient insurance services. This aims to achieve the goals of improving medical outcomes, reducing medical costs, and enhancing patient experience in value-based care.

27 Oct 2023

香港中文大學醫院、中山陳星海中西醫結合醫院、香港中華緊急救援正式簽署三方戰略合作框架協議 (Only available in Chinese)

Only available in Chinese

14 Oct 2023

香港名醫診療中心（深圳坪山）與香港中文大學醫務中心 簽署合作諒解備忘錄 (Only available in Chinese)

Only available in Chinese

16 Aug 2023

華為夥香港中文大學醫院簽署戰略合作備忘錄 推5G技術開拓醫護新領域 (Only available in Chinese)

Only available in Chinese

18 May 2023

FWD Hong Kong and CUHK Medical Centre establish partnership to enhance the medical claims experience with market’s first digital pre-authorisation platform in Hong Kong

FWD Hong Kong (“FWD”) and CUHK Medical Centre (“CUHKMC”) have entered into a long-term partnership to provide FWD customers with efficient, high-quality medical services through CUHKMC's professional medical team and advanced medical equipment. The market’s first¹ digital pre-authorisation platform will be launched in the first phase of this partnership, which streamlines the application and assessment process and offers customers a paperless, fast, simple and cashless medical claims experience.   New digital pre-authorisation service for a revolutionary medical experience FWD’s pre-authorisation assessment process is a game-changer that allows customers to receive professional medical treatment with peace of mind at CUHKMC. Empowered by Smarter Health, a Singapore-based healthtech company, the new, cutting-edge platform fully digitalises the cashless claims pre-authorisation process and offers a paperless digital medical experience.   Patients undergoing day surgery or hospitalisation are often frustrated with the "pay-and-claim" process and medical expenses that may exceed their budget, which adds to the overwhelming nature of their physical conditions. Pre-authorising medical expenses can be a complicated and time-consuming process, as it requires medical network specialists to submit a physical form to the insurer for assessment. The entire process can take weeks, and the application may not be approved.   Streamlined process to grant approval in as fast as one working day² Once eligible insured persons under FWD’s designated medical plan or voluntary health insurance scheme (VHIS)³ receive medical consultation at CUHKMC, a cashless claims pre-authorisation request will be directly submitted to FWD through the platform. The policyholder, the insured and the doctor will submit their eSignatures for validation via mobile devices in the form of QR codes or emails. The application and review process can be accelerated through the enhanced technology and streamlined procedure, allowing FWD to complete the assessment process as fast as one working day². Both FWD insurance agent and CUHKMC will immediately be notified of the pre-authorisation result through email upon the completion of the assessment process.   After assessment and approval, the Letter of Guarantee and pre-approved eligible guarantee amount will be sent via email to the hospital, doctor and FWD’s insurance agent respectively to facilitate cashless hospital admission. The digital platform eliminates the burden of physical paper forms; significantly reduces time spent on the application and approval processes, and enables the insured to manage their medical expenses before receiving treatment. FWD will digitally pay CUHKMC the pre-approved eligible medical expenses without involving the insured, who can then focus on their medical treatment and enjoy a cashless hospital experience without any related payments³.   Ken LAU, FWD’s Managing Director for Greater China and Hong Kong CEO, said, “We are honoured to collaborate with CUHK Medical Centre to offer professional medical treatment and nursing care services to our customers. With the support of FWD Group’s health and technology colleagues, FWD and CUHK Medical Centre have co-created Hong Kong's first¹ digital pre-authorisation platform, which offers fully digitalised pre-authorisation and payment-free medical claims services. The streamlined application process aims to provide convenience and relieve patients’ financial burdens and anxieties while ensuring timely and proper treatment with peace of mind. Looking ahead, we hope to extend our collaboration to serve more customers as we focus on changing the way people feel about insurance.”   Dr. FUNG Hong, Chief Executive Officer of CUHK Medical Centre, said: “CUHKMC is pleased to collaborate with FWD Hong Kong, which facilitates quality and convenient medical services for patients through the brand-new digital platform. At CUHKMC, we have been dedicated to offering healthcare services at predictable and transparent package fees. With FWD’s digital pre-authorisation platform, transparency of medical expenses for patients is further enhanced. Meanwhile, digitalising processes can also save healthcare personnel’s time in handling paperwork, but be more focused on patients' treatment and care, which aligns with our paperless principle.”   Enabling data exchange to enhance collaboration among medical institutions and insurers With direct access to customers' case status, diagnostic procedures, medical cost breakdowns and related documents on the digital pre-authorisation platform, FWD and CUHKMC can track and manage pre-authorisation requests at any time, which accelerates the assessment process and facilitates faster digital claims payments. The platform enables customers to access more secure medical services whilst fostering communication and collaboration between medical institutions and insurers, leading to a mutually beneficial outcome.   ¹ As of 1 April 2023. This statement is made by FWD based on market information and understanding at the time. ² The time required to complete assessment varies from one to four working days, subject to case complexity and product coverage. ³ Only applicable to customers of FWD’s medical plan or voluntary health insurance scheme (VHIS) holding PREMIER THE ONEcierge medical card and designated medical procedures (i.e. "day surgery") for the time being, and subject to the relevant policy provisions. The actual claimable amount will be based on the final claim decision that is subject to insured person’s eligibility and case based exclusion(s), claim documents /information to be received, benefit limits, general exclusions and other terms and conditions as stated in the policy provisions. Customer is required to pay the deductible balance (if any) of their insurance policy.

13 Jan 2023

Cessation of CUHK Medical Centre Designated Isolation Ward; Continue to support Hong Kong’s anti-epidemic efforts

In accordance with the latest recommendation on infection control measures for COVID-19 issued by the Centre for Health Protection (CHP), CUHK Medical Centre (CUHKMC) will cease its designated isolation ward starting from 16 January 2023. According to the latest CHP recommendation, COVID-19 patients can be treated in an area with good ventilation, not necessarily in an isolation room. Following the recommendation, CUHK Medical Centre (CUHKMC) will convert the designated isolation ward to a general ward. After the conversion, the ward will continue to admit COVID-19 patients referred from public hospitals or on self-financed basis. The ward will also admit orthopaedic and medical patients referred from public hospitals in segregated designated areas. In addition, since the number of COVID-19 patients seeking out-patient service is decreasing, the COVID Medical Station will be closed. CUHKMC will continue to provide telemedicine service to the COVID-19 patients in need. Dr. Hong FUNG, Chief Executive Officer, CUHKMC, said, “The changes are made according to the Government’s latest recommendation on infection control measures. In order to relieve the pressure and burden on public hospitals and offer help in combating the epidemic, CUHKMC will continue to provide support to the Hospital Authority with 32 beds for referred COVID-19 patients and 18 beds for recovering orthopaedic and medical patients. As a member of the health system, CUHKMC will continue to serve the community with professionalism and perseverance as always, and to safeguard health of the public.”