Kai Tak Hospital begins phased opening with nearly 300 patients treated
Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Hospital has begun operations through a family medicine centre that treated nearly 300 patients on its first morning. The hospital plans to add specialist services later and expects daily attendance to rise to 1,800 by year-end, while lawmakers have called for clearer and more frequent transport connections.
Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Hospital began its phased opening on Monday, treating nearly 300 patients at its Family Medicine Integrated Centre during the first morning of operations. The centre is initially serving patients with stable chronic conditions and mild illnesses. Of 350 consultation appointments available each day, more than 290 had been booked by Monday morning, according to Dr Eric Cheung Fuk-chi, the hospital’s chief executive.
Cheung described the opening as smooth, although some patients mistakenly arrived for blood tests. The relocation of services from Queen Elizabeth Hospital is being carried out in stages because it is the largest hospital relocation project in Hong Kong’s history, he said. Specialist outpatient services are due to be added on October 26.
Neurosurgery and some oncology patients will also be able to receive services at the hospital, with daily attendance then expected to reach about 500. The hospital’s department of medicine, its largest specialty division, is scheduled to begin operating on November 12. Cheung said the number of patients treated each day could reach 1,800 by the end of the year.
Volunteers, staff and security guards were present during the opening to direct patients through the site. Some patients praised the hospital’s organisation, facilities and service. One patient said the site was orderly and that staff were available to offer assistance.
Another described the building as spacious and well lit, and said service had been smooth and punctual. The hospital is connected directly by 10 franchised bus routes and six green minibus routes, as well as the MTR network. However, lawmaker Kitson Yang Wing-kit said many residents remained unclear about how to reach the hospital and urged better publicity and more frequent services.
Lawmaker David Lam Tzit-yuen said the opening could improve the distribution of healthcare resources across Kowloon Central and Kowloon East.
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