XN000022-1982-03-10 — Page 7

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1982

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DOCTORS QUALIFIED IN OTHER COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE U.S. AND OTHER DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, WERE THEREFORE NOT PROHIBITED FROM PRACTISING LOCALLY PROVIDED THEY WERE ALSO QUALIFIED, WILLING AND ABLE TO GO THROUGH THE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM, HE SAID.

HE SAID 174 HOLDERS OF U.S. AND CANADIAN QUALIFICATIONS HAD BEEN PLACED ON THE LOCAL MEDICAL REGISTER BY VIRTUE OF THE IR GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL REGISTRATIONS IN THE PAST 40 YEARS.

DR THONG SAID THAT THE MEDICAL COUNCIL OF HONG KONG AT PRESENT HAD NO DISCRETION TO PLACE ON THE REGISTER, STRAIGHTAWAY, HOLDERS OF 'FOREIGN DIPLOMAS'.

HE SAID ALSO THAT SINCE DIPLOMA HOLDERS FROM THE U.S.A. AND OTHER DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, WERE NOT PROHIBITED AS SUCH FROM PRACTISING HERE, IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO ASSESS ACCURATELY THE MEDICAL AND ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF THE PRESENT LEGISLATION.

QEH CUSTOMER RELATIONS SCHEME A SUCCESS

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THE CUSTOMER RELATIONS OFFICE SET UP AT QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL IN JUNE LAST YEAR AS A PILOT SCHEME, HAS PROVED BENEFICIAL TO PATIENTS, THEIR RELATIVES AND HOSPITAL STAFF.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR THE HON K.L. THONG, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI, AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING TODAY.

DR THONG SAID THE PROJECT WAS STARTED WITH THE PRIMARY AIM OF HELPING PATIENTS AND THEIR RELATIVES TO OBTAIN PROMPT HOSPITAL SERVICE AND TO EXPLAIN HOSPITAL PROCEDURES AND OTHER ACTIVITIES TO THEM.

IT WAS ALSO DESIGNED TO RELIEVE PROFESSIONAL HOSPITAL STAFF FROM NON-PROFESSIONAL MATTERS.

→THE BASIC OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT HAD, BY AND LARGE, BEEN ATTAINED,+ DR THONG SAID.

+THE PATIENTS AND THEIR RELATIVES, IN PARTICULAR, HAVE BENEFITED MUCH FROM THE DIRECT CONTACT WITH SOMEONE WHO COULD GIVE CLEAR EXPLANATIONS ABOUT HOSPITAL PROCEDURES AND SERVICES ON THE SPOT WHICH AT TIMES APPEAR TO THEM TO BE CUMBERSOME AND COMPLICATED AND HAVE ALSO SAVED UNNECESSARY CONCERN ABOUT THE CONDITIONS OF PATIENTS AND THE IR TREATMENT, SAID DR THONG.

+ IN REGARD TO THE BENEFIT TO THE STAFF, THE SCHEME HAS REDUCED SUBSTANTIALLY THE TIME FORMERLY SPENT BY PROFESSIONAL STAFF ON PATIENT RELATION MATTERS, THUS ALLOWING THEM TO CONCENTRATE ON PATIENT CARE.+

DR THONG SAID THE UNIT HAD DEALT WITH ABOUT 80 COMPLAINTS

AND MORE THAN 3 000 ENQUIRIES.

THE PROJECT AND ITS STRUCTURE WERE BEING APPRAISED IN

DETAIL, HE SAID, TO DETERMINE ITS FUTURE.

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