Hong Kong’s Chinese medicine hospital to launch stroke and back pain treatments next week

Two treatments part of 23 disease programmes to be rolled out over five years as part of strategic plan to meet healthcare needs and promote TCM The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong in Pak Shing Kok. Photo: Sam Tsang The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong is set to launch two strategic treatment programmes for stroke and lower back pain next week, with bookings opening on Wednesday. Bian Zhaoxiang, the hospital’s chief executive, told reporters on Wednesday that the two treatments were part of 23 special disease programmes to be rolled out over five years as part of the institution’s strategic development plan to meet healthcare needs and promote the competitive advantages of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) . “Traditional Chinese medicine shows a clear advantage in the clinical treatment of stroke and lower back pain, and there is a strong demand from these patients,” he said. “We also found that a multidisciplinary approach integrating Chinese and Western medicine really helps these patients achieve better treatment outcomes.” Bian stopped short of revealing the exact quota for the programmes, but said the hospital had sufficient capacity to meet demand and would make adjustments if necessary. He added that 10 more programmes, ranging from fertility treatment to therapy for developmental delays, would be rolled out this year, while the rest would be launched over the next four years. By the end of the year, the hospital would also launch a 24-hour inpatient service, Bian said. Deputy Hospital chief executive Cheung Chun-hoi said that patients enrolled in the two programmes would receive comprehensive TCM services, such as herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, massage and herbal baths. They would also receive multidisciplinary care featuring TCM practitioners, doctors, physiotherapists and nurses serving as case managers, who would ensure smooth transitions across all stages of treatment. Cheung said that each programme comprised two tracks targeting different degrees of acuteness. For post-stroke treatment, the acute track would target patients between one week and two months after a stroke and feature 18 day-patient sessions over three weeks. The chronic track, by comparison, would cover patients between two months and three years after a stroke and provide 48 outpatient sessions over eight weeks. Unhandled type: inline-plus-widget {"type":"inline-plus-widget"} For lower back pain treatment, the acute track would cover patients who had experienced pain for less than six weeks and provide four day-patient sessions. The subacute and chronic track would target patients who had experienced lower back pain for at least six weeks and provide 12 outpatient sessions over four weeks. Hospital chief executive Bian Zhaoxiang (left) and deputy chief executive Cheung Chun-hoi spoke to reporters at a press conference on Wednesday. Photo: Jonathan Wong Asked whether the length of the chronic programme might affect patients’ adherence to their treatment plans, Bian noted that the programmes had been developed based on clinical experience and evidence, but practitioners could tailor them to individual needs. Patients can call or send a message to +852 5799 3233 via WhatsApp to make an appointment. Healthcare practitioners may also make appointments on behalf of their patients. Both government-subsidised and market-oriented services are available under the programmes, with the latter allowing patients to choose their practitioners. For example, a subsidised outpatient consultation is HK$250 (US$32), and each Chinese medicine prescription costs HK$25 per day. By contrast, a market-oriented outpatient consultation costs HK$450 to HK$790, with prescriptions costing HK$90 a day. Located on Pak Shing Kok Road in Tseung Kwan O, the hospital is both a healthcare provider and a training and research hub focused on helping TCM services expand globally – a key task assigned to Hong Kong by the central government.