THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1987
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AT PRESENT, THERE ARE 1 015 GENERAL INFIRMARY BEDS IN HONG KONG. THEY ARE PROVIDED FOR THE CHRONICALLY ILL OR DISABLED WHO NO LONGER NEED ACUTE TREATMENT BUT NEED LONGER TERM HOSPITALISATION.
AS FOR GERIATRIC BEDS, IT IS PLANNED TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL 600 BEDS BY 1995. AT PRESENT, THERE ARE 580 GERIATRIC BEDS IN VARIOUS PUBLIC HOSPITALS, INCLUDING SUBVENTED ONES.
HOWEVER, THE MDAC NOTED THAT GERIATRICS, WHICH IS A COMPARATIVELY NEW SPECIALTY, IS NOT THE ONLY SPECIALTY OFFERING HOSPITAL CARE FOR THE ELDERLY.
ELDERLY PATIENTS IN NEED OF HOSPITALISATION ARE ALSO TAKEN CARE OF IN WARDS OF VARIOUS SPECIALTIES SUCH AS MEDICINE, SURGERY, ORTHOPAEDICS, RADIOTHERAPY AND ONCOLOGY, AND GYNAECOLOGY.
TO SUPPLEMENT IN-PATIENT TREATMENT AND TO RELIEVE OVERCROWDING IN HOSPITALS, GERIATRIC DAY HOSPITAL CARE IS PROVIDED FOR THE ELDERLY WHO DO NOT REQUIRE FULL-TIME INTENSIVE MEDICAL CARE.
THERE ARE AT PRESENT 170 GERIATRIC DAY PLACES IN VARIOUS HOSPITALS AND CLINICS.
THE MDAC WAS INFORMED THAT AN ADDITIONAL 415 DAY PLACES WOULD BE PROVIDED BY 1995.
ANOTHER TOPIC DISCUSSED AT TODAY'S MEETING CONCERNED ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY SERVICES.
MEMBERS WERE TOLD THAT ACCORDING TO A SURVEY CONDUCTED LAST YEAR TO ASSESS THE INAPPROPRIATE USE OF THE ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY SERVICE, IT WAS FOUND THAT ONLY NINE PER CENT OF THE TOTAL ATTENDANCE OF 64 208 PATIENTS AT FIVE MAJOR HOSPITALS WERE IDENTIFIED AS NON-EMERGENCY CASES.
HOWEVER, IT WAS FELT THAT INAPPROPRIATE USE OF THE ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY SERVICE WAS NOT EXCESSIVE AS OVERSEAS EXPERIENCE SHOWED A FIGURE OF ABOUT 20 TO 30 PER CENT.
DESPITE THIS LOW PERCENTAGE, CONTINUING EFFORTS WILL BE TAKEN TO DETER THE INAPPROPRIATE USE OF THE ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY SERVICES. THESE INCLUDE HEALTH EDUCATION AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MORE EVENING AND HOLIDAY CLINICS.
THE MDAC ALSO DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF IMPOSING CHARGES FOR THE ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY SERVICE AS A MEANS TO DETER INAPPROPRIATE USE. IT WAS NOTED THAT CHARGING FEES WOULD BRING ABOUT OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS, ADMINISTRATIVE DIFFICULTIES AND ADDITIONAL RECURRENT EXPENSES SUCH AS THE SETTING UP OF 24-HOUR SHROFF OFFICES.
/ON THE ..................*