Kai Tak opening to reshape Kowloon hospital services

Public hospital operations in Kowloon are about to undergo a major transformation with the opening of Kai Tak Hospital in October, according to Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau. The 2,400-bed Kai Tak Hospital, described as Hong Kong's largest acute general hospital, will replace a significant portion of Queen Elizabeth Hospital's (QEH) inpatient services.

QEH currently boasts 1,940 beds. The existing QEH, located in King's Park, will transition into an integrated ambulatory care hospital after the first phase of the conversion, which is set to commence next year. This phase will introduce day procedures, diagnostics, and treatments such as cataract surgery, CT and MRI imaging, and radiotherapy.

The conversion aims to alleviate the problem of QEH and Kwong Wah Hospital, which have been too close together, complicating patient triage. As Kai Tak begins to serve Kowloon, Kwong Wah Hospital's accident and emergency department will be expanded, tripling in size, and 40 emergency beds will be added. This expansion will ensure the hospital can handle the increased demand from the surrounding area.

Additionally, the new day hospital at the QEH site will cater to all six of Hong Kong's public hospital clusters, not just Kowloon. Lo emphasized that the plan considers the healthcare needs of the population, with future developments to be announced in due course.