Kai Tak opening to reshape Kowloon hospital services
Public hospital operations in Kowloon are set for a major shake-up when Kai Tak Hospital opens in October, with the role of Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) changing and Kwong Wah Hospital taking on a bigger emergency role, Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau said on Friday. Speaking on a radio programme, Lo said the opening of Kai Tak Hospital – a 2,400-bed facility he described as Hong Kong’s…
In October, Hong Kong's Kai Tak Hospital will open, reshaping Kowloon's hospital services and altering the role of Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) and Kwong Wah Hospital. Lo Chung-mau, Secretary for Health, announced the changes on a radio program. With a capacity of 2,400 beds, Kai Tak will be Hong Kong's largest acute general hospital, taking over most of QEH's inpatient services.
The existing QEH, located in King's Park, currently has 1,940 beds. Kai Tak's opening will occur in phases, initially providing family medicine and specialist outpatient services, particularly oncology. As QEH transitions to a day hospital, it will offer day procedures, diagnostics, treatments like cataract surgery, and imaging.
The first phase of this conversion is expected to begin next year, reducing long waiting lists for procedures such as cataract surgeries. The project aims to address longstanding issues in Kowloon where QEH and Kwong Wah Hospital were too close for effective patient triage. After Kwong Wah Hospital expands, its emergency department will be three times larger, with 40 additional beds, able to handle increased demand.
Likewise, Kai Tak's emergency department will be three times larger than QEH's, accommodating more patients. The day hospital at the QEH site will serve all six Hong Kong public hospital clusters, not just Kowloon. However, Lo cautioned that not all patients, particularly those with conditions like heart disease, are suitable for day surgery.
Future developments may include additional day services like endoscopy and eye injections. The healthcare needs of the population will guide these changes, with the second hospital development plan to be announced in due course.
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