XN000022-1974-12-15 — Page 5

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1974

GERIATRIC UNIT AT PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL

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WITH THE OPENING OF THE 220-BED GERIATRIC UNIT AT THE PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL NEXT MAY. THE AGE OF PATIENTS TO BE ADMITTED WILL BE 65 AND OVER A LIMITATION GENERALLY RECOGNISED AND ACCEPTED BY MOST GERIATRICIANS.

GERIATRIC MEDICINE IS A BRANCH OF GENERAL MEDICINE CONCERNED WITH THE CLINICAL, PREVENTIVE, REMEDIAL AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF ILLNESS AMONG THE ELDERLY.

THE 65-AND-OVER LIMIT MAKES GERIATRICS A CLEARLY AGE-DEFINED SPECIALITY COMPARABLE TO PAEDIATRICS, WHICH RELATES TO MEDICAL CONCERN WITH THE VERY YOUNG, AND ITS INTRODUCTION MEANS THAT, IN THE LOCAL CONTEXT, BOTH AGE GROUPS ARE ACCEPTED AS HAVING MEDICAL PROBLEMS REQUIRING SPECIALISED ATTENTION.

ABOUT TEN GERIATRIC BEDS PER 1,000 OF THE 65-AND-OVER POPULATION IS CONSIDERED IN BRITAIN AS A REASONABLE REQUIREMENT ESTIMATE.

SINCE HONG KONG HAS A POPULATION BELIEVED TO CONSIST OF 230,000 ABOVE THE AGE OF 65, THIS MEANS AN ESTIMATE REQUIREMENT OF 2,300 BEDS.

IN THIS SENSE, THE PROVISION OF THE UNIT'S 220 BEDS FALLS SHORT OF REQUIREMENT ESTIMATES, BUT IT IS HOPED THAT WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE SERVICE IN YEARS TO COME, A MORE IDEAL BED RATIO WILL BE ACHIEVED.

IT IS ESSENTIAL TO HAVE A DEFINITE POLICY FOR ADMISSION OF THESE ELDERLY PATIENTS TO ENSURE THE MOST EFFICIENT USE OF EXISTING HOSPITAL BEDS.

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+THIS,+ SAYS A SPOKESMAN FOR THE UNIT, IS NOT ONLY NECESSARY IN ORDER TO KEEP THE FACTS BEFORE THE PUBLIC, BUT ALSO TO PREVENT THE RAISING TEMPORARILY OF UNREALISABLE HOPES BY CREATING A FALSE

IMPRESSION.+

THE CORNERSTONE OF THE UNIT'S POLICY AT THE START IS THAT +UNLESS IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, THE ADMISSION OF ELDERLY PATIENTS INTO HOSPITAL SHOULD NOT BE TREATED LIGHTLY, SINCE HOSPITALISATION IS NOT WITHOUT HAZARD FOR THEM.

STUDIES MADE BY WORKERS IN THE GERIATRIC FIELD SHOW THAT COMPLICATIONS ARISE AMONG ELDERLY PATIENTS AFTER HOSPITALISATION. HALF OF THESE ARE INCIDENTAL AND NOT RELATED TO THE ORIGINAL ILLNESS BUT RATHER OCCASIONED BY THE STAY IN HOSPITAL ITSELF, SUCH AS RESPIRATION INFECTION, FALLS, DRUG REACTIONS, PRESSURE SORES, AND SO ON.

+FOR THIS REASON, THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINS, +A CAREFUL SELECTION OF PATIENTS FOR ADMISSION IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE.+

CASES HAVING MEDICAL

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