STORY: Former COVID hospital in Hong Kong transformed to ramp up radiology services
SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 13, 2023
DATELINE: Nov. 20, 2023
LENGTH: 0:02:24
LOCATION: HONG KONG, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the Central Government-Aided Emergency Hospital
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Cantonese): SIN NGAI-CHUEN, Clinical stream coordinator of the New Territories East Cluster of the Hospital Authority
3. various of the Central Government-Aided Emergency Hospital
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Cantonese): PAUL LEE, Chairman of the Coordinating Committee in Radiology of the Hospital Authority
5. various of the Central Government-Aided Emergency Hospital
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Cantonese): Mrs. MAK, Hong Kong Resident
7. various of the Central Government-Aided Emergency Hospital
8. SOUNDBITE 4 (Cantonese): PAUL LEE, Chairman of the Coordinating Committee in Radiology of the Hospital Authority
7. various of the Central Government-Aided Emergency Hospital

STORYLINE:

The Central Government-Aided Emergency Hospital in Hong Kong has been offering radiology services since April through a pilot program, which has largely reduced patient's waiting time. It will ramp up its services in December to benefit more people.

The hospital located in the Lok Ma Chau Loop was commissioned for construction by the central government during the COVID-19 epidemic in Hong Kong. It was handed over to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Dec. 30, 2022.

Hong Kong's Hospital Authority later launched the Ambulatory Diagnostic Radiology Service Pilot Program, which aimed to shorten patients' waiting time and relieve the pressure on radiology services in public hospitals.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Cantonese): SIN NGAI-CHUEN, Clinical stream coordinator of the New Territories East Cluster of the Hospital Authority
"After its completion, there were many good facilities such as computed tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. We would like to make good use of them to cope with the medical needs of local patients."

Now patients can receive diagnostic scans including computed tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan through the pilot program. According to the Hospital Authority, as of Oct. 31, the emergency hospital had served a total of 5,746 cases, including 4,277 computer scan cases and 1,469 MRI scan cases.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Cantonese): PAUL LEE, Chairman of the Coordinating Committee in Radiology of the Hospital Authority
"The public response to the pilot scheme has been positive. We estimated that by the end of this year, the CT and MRI examinations altogether can handle about 10,000 cases, far more than our target of 7,000 cases."

Starting from December, the emergency hospital will enhance its radiology services and launch the contrast-enhanced ultrasound service.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Cantonese): MRS. MAK, Hong Kong resident
"I'm so happy that I can do the scan today. I felt uncomfortable so I want to solve this problem as soon as possible."

Resources of public hospitals in Hong Kong are so tight that some non-urgent cases often have to wait for a long time before they have the opportunity to receive examinations.

SOUNDBITE 4 (Cantonese): PAUL LEE, Chairman of the Coordinating Committee in Radiology of the Hospital Authority
"We can see the waiting time for the patients in this program is shortened. The median waiting time for a CT scan in public hospitals in Hong Kong is generally over 120 weeks. After patients joined the pilot program, the waiting time was reduced to 38 weeks, while the waiting time for MRI scan has been cut from over 120 weeks to 50 weeks."

The program, which was voluntary, was implemented initially mainly in public hospitals in the New Territories. Due to the positive response from the public, it has been extended to cover patients in all public hospitals in Hong Kong. The service targeted non-hospitalized patients aged between 12 and 80, who are non-emergency cases in stable condition and with normal mobility.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Hong Kong, China.
(XHTV)