Press Releases

10 Dec 2017

Development of CUHK Medical Centre into Hong Kong’s First Digital Smart Hospital

The CUHK Medical Centre (CUHKMC) is expected to commence services in 2020 and will be developed into the city’s first fully digitalised smart hospital. Making use of advanced information and communications technology (ICT), CUHKMC aims to improve patient outcomes, maintain a high level of overall operational efficiency, and provide quality healthcare services to the patients.   Dr. FUNG Hong, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of CUHKMC, said, “We are striving to develop CUHKMC into a fully digitalised smart hospital, which encompasses 3 main elements and purposes. First, with a fully electronic and paperless medical record system, we hope to offer seamless healthcare services, with continuity, to our patients. It will enable us to coordinate our team of healthcare professionals to provide integrative services and promote the effectiveness of treatment. Second, mobile ICT and real-time data will support and facilitate a smooth patient treatment process, and at the same time allow closer communication between patients and our doctors and nurses. Third, with the application of the Internet of Things (IoT), a management system can be established to integrate information from different systems and devices, thereby enhancing the efficiency of hospital operations and services.”   Electronic medical record integrates caring processes In the course of designing the electronic medical record system, CUHKMC makes reference to the experiences of the Hospital Authority (HA). The fully electronic and paperless medical record system will cover all care and treatment processes, including nursing records, treatment workflows and clinical decision support. Dr. Fung anticipates that by the time the hospital begins operating in 2020, CUHKMC will have achieved the Stage 6 standard of the Healthcare Information Management System Society (HIMSS) Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM). Following that, the hospital aims to attain Stage 7 accreditation within the first 2-3 years of operations, ultimately fulfilling the aim of becoming fully paperless in patient care. CUHKMC will also concomitantly integrate with the Government’s Electronic Health Record Sharing System (eHRSS). Currently, only 5% of hospitals in the United States and seven hospitals in mainland China have achieved the HIMSS EMRAM Stage 7 accreditation.   As part of the development of a fully electronic medical record system, CUHKMC will establish Closed-loop Systems for the high-risk or critical medical procedures, such as drug management, blood transfusion and pathology investigation . These systems will provide real-time information to healthcare professionals, and monitor each key step in the treatment processes to ensure full compliance with safety standards, minimise unnecessary steps and improve treatment outcomes.   Implement medical record sharing at a one-stop service platform In conjunction with the application of mobile ICT, CUHKMC plans to set up an integrated mobile system which enables patients to make appointments, register, handle payments, check personal medical records, communicate with healthcare professionals and search for hospital directions at a one-stop service platform. Dr. Fung said, “People often perceive the hospital environment as a maze. We hope that, in future, CUHKMC patients will no longer need multiple referrals and enquiries to reach their doctors and contact the nurses who take care of them. They will be able to manage their own health through access to their own medical records, at ease.   Utilise the Internet of Things to enhance efficiency CUHKMC will use the Internet of Things to improve efficiency. Through deploying wi-fi network, radio-frequency identification (RFID) and bluetooth technologies into different areas, such as vital signs monitoring, drug management, material supplies, dispatch of uniforms, patient transfers, equipment management, patient location tracking and staff identification, the hospital operation workflows can be automated to reduce errors and to assist in communication between healthcare professionals and patients.    Following an open tender process, CUHKMC has appointed Ewell Hong Kong Limited to implement the hospital information system and software applications required in the progress to building a fully digitalised smart hospital. Ewell Technology Co. Ltd, the parent company of Ewell Hong Kong Limited, is based in Hangzhou and is a leading company in the smart healthcare industry in mainland China. Ewell Technology Co. Ltd has assisted seven hospitals in mainland China in obtaining HIMSS EMRAM Stage 6 & 7 accreditation and two private hospitals in Hong Kong in establishing their clinical information systems.

19 Jun 2017

Ceremony on Signing a MOU for EN Training

CUHK Medical Centre and Hong Kong Baptist Hospital signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) today (19 June) under which Hong Kong Baptist Hospital School of Nursing will train up enrolled nurses for CUHK Medical Centre.  The MOU will last for a period of 5 years, with a quota of 20 students per year.  Graduates will be employed by CUHK Medical Centre.    Dr. Fung Hong, Executive Director of CUHK Medical Centre said, "In the healthcare team, nurses are integral to ensuring a positive patient experience and quality service outcome.  Through the 5-year collaboration, CUHK Medical Centre will have 100 nurse graduates from Hong Kong Baptist Hospital’s accredited training programme.  This is an important strategy for us to ensure a stable supply of qualified nurses, and to build up a solid foundation for future collaboration among private hospitals, with the aim of providing better healthcare service to the citizens of Hong Kong.”    Dr. Alex Yu, Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Baptist Hospital said, “Since its establishment in 1983, Hong Kong Baptist Hospital School of Nursing has embraced the spirit of Christ in developing professional nurses with good character, knowledge and skills who are driven by a vocational calling to deliver safe, holistic, managed, and ethical care to patients. This collaboration with CUHK Medical Centre is not only a recognition of our School of Nursing, it also serves towards achieving our mission of enhancing quality healthcare in Hong Kong.”    Upon the release of Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) Examination result, CUHK Medical Centre will start recruiting suitable candidates to be enrolled into the Higher Diploma in General Nursing (Enrolled Nurses) Programme offered by Hong Kong Baptist Hospital School of Nursing.  Selected candidates will be given full sponsorship of the 2-year programme fee.  The programme will start on 8 January 2018.  DSE graduates and those who are interested in joining the nursing profession are welcome to submit their application for the training programme.    Information sessions will be arranged to give more details about CUHK Medical Centre. For more details, please visit the website at http://www.cuhkmc.hk/.

08 Dec 2016

CUHK Holds Ground Breaking Ceremony of CUHK Medical Centre

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) held the ground breaking ceremony of The CUHK Medical Centre today (8 December), symbolizing the commencement of the Centre’s construction. CUHK has been preparing for the establishment of the city’s first not-for-profit and self-financed teaching hospital since 2014, with the aim of serving the people of Hong Kong, enhancing the quality of teaching and research, and contributing to the healthcare system of Hong Kong.   Officiating guests at the ceremony included Dr. the Honourable Ko Wing-man, Secretary for Food and Health, HKSAR Government, Mr. Patrick Nip, Permanent Secretary for Food and Health (Health), HKSAR Government, Dr. Constance Chan Hon-yee, Director of Health, HKSAR Government, Dr. Leung Pak-yin, Chief Executive, Hospital Authority, Dr. Norman N P Leung, Chairman of the Council, CUHK, Mr. Chien Lee, Chairman, Board of Directors, CUHK Medical Centre, Dr. Simon S O Ip, Chairman, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Prof. Joseph J Y Sung, Vice-Chancellor and President, CUHK, Dr. Edgar Cheng Wai-kin, Member, Board of Directors, CUHK Medical Centre, Prof. Francis K L Chan, Dean of Medicine, CUHK, Dr. Fung Hong, Executive Director, CUHK Medical Centre, Miss Amy Chan, District Officer (Sha Tin), Home Affairs Department and Mr. Sammy Zhou, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, China State Construction International Holdings Limited. About 200 honoured guests and members of the university attended the ceremony and celebrated the new milestone in local healthcare services.   The CUHK Medical Centre is wholly-owned by CUHK. The hospital provides a full range of medical services and serves as a key base for clinical research, healthcare education and training. Prof. Joseph J Y Sung, Vice-Chancellor and President, CUHK, said, ‘The CUHK Medical Centre is a not-for-profit hospital. Any surplus from the Medical Centre will be used to support its future development, and meet the teaching and research needs of the CUHK Faculty of Medicine. The mission of the hospital is to provide “Pioneering Solutions in Healthcare”. Its continuous striving for innovation will mean that local citizens can enjoy the advanced, high-quality medical services of the hospital.’ Prof. Sung added ‘With the aim of serving the people of Hong Kong, The CUHK Medical Centre belongs to the people of Hong Kong and will be devoted to addressing the medical needs of the sizeable middle-class.’   Dr. the Honourable Ko Wing-man, Secretary for Food and Health, HKSAR Government, said, ‘The CUHK Medical Centre not only provides an alternative for the people of Hong Kong, but also brings positive impacts upon the private healthcare system’s development in terms of hospital management, clinical quality, service standard and price transparency.’ Dr. Ko told the audience that CUHK has also committed to help alleviate the current pressure on the public healthcare sector by taking up referrals of specialist outpatient and day procedure cases from the Hospital Authority (HA). This partnership arrangement will have the benefit of shortening waiting times for public services on the one hand and, on the other hand, help ensure a comprehensive and diverse case mix and the quality of training offered by The CUHK Medical Centre.   Dr. Simon S O Ip, Chairman, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said, ‘The CUHK Medical Centre underlines our commitment to improving the health and well-being of all our citizens,’ observed Dr Ip. ‘At HK$1.3 billion, our donation is the single largest ever made by the Club’s Charities Trust to medical services. We are pleased to support this important initiative to bring affordable healthcare to a broad range of our citizens and also help to relieve some pressure on our over-stretched public hospitals. Also, being a teaching hospital, it will help to train and develop healthcare professionals in our city, supplementing the facilities in existing teaching hospitals.’    In sincere appreciation of the HK$1.3 billion donation from The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) Charities Trust to the construction of The CUHK Medical Centre, CUHK will name one of the clinical blocks after HKJC.   Dr. Norman N P Leung, Chairman of the Council, CUHK, expressed his deep gratitude to The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, other benefactors and dedicated alumni for their generous donations. He also thanked the HKSAR Government, in particular the Food and Health Bureau for their support, and the coordination works by the Department of Health, the Treasury, Lands Department, the Buildings Department, the Transport Department, the Civil Engineering and Development Department, the Highways Department, Shatin District Office, Sha Tin, Tai Po and the North District Councils. He believed that ‘The new CUHK Medical Centre will become a valuable asset for further enhancing the healthcare of the community and serve as a hub for quality medical education and research.’   Quality and patient-centered healthcare services The CUHK Medical Centre will provide innovative and patient-centered healthcare services, with package prices offered for 70% of inpatient services. This will bridge the service gap between private and public healthcare sectors by providing high-quality medical services with transparent and affordable pricing to middle-class families, so alleviating the pressure on the public healthcare system.   The CUHK Medical Centre will provide a full range of medical services, including Anaesthesiology, Cardiology, Chinese Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Geriatrics, General Medicine, General Surgery, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Oncology, Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology, Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Paediatrics, Pharmacy, Psychiatry and Mental Health, Renal Medicine and Urology. There will be 16 medical centres served by dedicated professional teams, including a 24-Hour Clinic, Allied Health Services, Cardiac Intervention Centre, Day Cancer Therapy Centre, Day Surgery Centre, Diagnostic & Interventional Radiology Centre, Elderly Day Centre, Digestive Medicine & Endoscopy Centre, Eye Centre, Haemodialysis Centre, Integrated Outpatient Clinic, Assisted Reproductive Technology Centre, Radiotherapy Centres, Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation Centre, Urology Centre and Wellness Centre.   Situated at prime location with pleasant surroundings The CUHK Medical Centre will cover a total construction floor area of 100,000 m² and will provide around 600 beds. It is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2020 and start operation in the second quarter. The hospital is conveniently located next to the MTR University Station and the public transport exchange. The design of the hospital embodies patient-centered principles, which allows patients to recover in pleasant surroundings. The hospital incorporates green designs, which includes setting out courtyards, gardens and balconies in different areas within the hospital. The patient rooms are spacious with choices of one-bed, two-bed or four-bed rooms. They are designed to maximize space to ensure patients’ privacy and smooth the work flows of the medical staffs. The hospital will also adopt user friendly interior designs and facilities, like creating colour scheme for different areas, providing clear signage for easy navigation, and including safety features for the elderly and barrier free access design.   For more information about The CUHK Medical Centre, please click into the hospital website: www.cuhkmc.hk For more photos, please visit: http://www.cpr.cuhk.edu.hk/en/events_recap_detail.php?id=232&t=ground-breaking-ceremony-of-the-cuhk-medical-centre&s=