'New hospital improves healthcare service provision'

Health Minister Lo Chung-mau emphasized on Monday that the newly opened Kai Tak Hospital plays a vital role in Hong Kong's ability to manage the growing need for healthcare services. During his visit to the facility on its inaugural day, the Secretary for Health highlighted the phased opening process to guarantee a seamless transition of services.

Lo deemed it ideal to have two acute hospitals - Queen Elizabeth and Kwong Wah - in proximity, and the new Kai Tak Hospital represents a significant enhancement in service provision.

Medical sector lawmaker David Lam concurred with Lo's perspective, stating that the relocation of clinical services to Kai Tak Hospital would result in a more balanced distribution of major acute hospitals in the Kowloon region. Acknowledging the growing elderly population in eastern Kowloon, Lam anticipated an escalation in the demand for acute medical services.

Consequently, he believed that certain residents from Ngau Tau Kok, Kai Tak, and Wong Tai Sin areas might shift their healthcare needs to the new hospital rather than traveling to United Christian Hospital.

Lam acknowledged potential difficulties during the phased opening of the new hospital. He expressed uncertainty about whether the front desk staff would be adequately staffed to manage a large influx of outpatients seeking treatment. Additionally, he questioned the availability of sufficient elevators for the safe transportation of patients between wards, operating rooms, and intensive care units.

Lam also wondered about the adequacy of personnel to facilitate smooth patient transfers across different hospital sections. He acknowledged that identifying and addressing these challenges would require some time for the hospital to adapt.