Hong Kong’s first Chinese medicine hospital to showcase Western and TCM collaboration, city’s health minister says, ahead of late 2025 opening

“Hong Kong’s Chinese medicine sector should seize the opportunity to capitalise on our characteristics and strengths … to demonstrate the value of traditional Chinese medicine and the collaboration between Chinese and Western medicine to the world.”

The board of the hospital also announced the members of its management team, appointing leading Chinese medicine expert Professor Bian Zhaoxiang as its chief executive.

The construction of the hospital, which began in 2021, is set to be completed in 2025. It is expected to start its operation in late 2025 and provide outpatient services in the first year, followed by inpatient services the next year.

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Situated in Pak Shing Kok in Tseung Kwan O, the hospital is expected to open all of its 400 beds by 2027, including 250 at inpatient wards, 90 in day wards, 40 in paediatrics wards and 20 in the clinical trial and research centre.

Bian said 65 per cent of its services would be subsidised by the government, while the remaining 35 per cent would be provided by the private sector.

“This is a Chinese medicine hospital, but there will be a number of Western medicine examination facilities, including those for laboratory testing, X-ray and computerised tomography scans, magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography,” Bian said.

“There will be a number of Chinese medicine inpatient wards, which is the first time in Hong Kong’s history that there will be such services.”

Bian, who was Hong Kong Baptist University’s associate vice-president for Chinese medicine development, said managing Chinese medicine hospitals could be “challenging” given the city only had experience in operating Western medicine hospitals.

He added that the city could focus on providing high-quality services for its patients, while those who required stroke rehabilitation and pain management would benefit most from the hospital’s services.

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Administrative matters such as manpower planning and fees would be determined after the yearly plan was formulated, he added.

Dr Arthur Lau Chun-wing, who was appointed as the deputy chief executive in Western medicine, said he hoped the hospital would capitalise on the advantages of both Chinese and Western medicine.

“I hope we can formulate standards that can serve as the blueprint for the world to follow and reference,” said Lau, who was previously the deputy chief executive at the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan.

The hospital will provide pure Chinese medicine services and integrated Chinese-Western medicine services.

Its Chinese medicine specialities include internal medicine, external medicine, gynaecology, paediatrics, orthopaedics and traumatology, and acupuncture and moxibustion. There will also be allied health services, as well as training and education facilities.