Prince of Wales Hospital is a large of
Tertiary referral hospital
A tertiary referral hospital (also called a tertiary hospital, tertiary referral center, tertiary care center, or tertiary center) is a hospital that provides tertiary care, which is a level of health care obtained from specialists in a large hos ...
and large of
teaching hospital
A teaching hospital is a hospital or medical centre that provides medical education and training to future and current health professionals. Teaching hospitals are almost always affiliated with one or more universities and are often co-located ...
from
Faculty of Medicine
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, or part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS, M ...
in
Chinese University of Hong Kong
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a public research university in Ma Liu Shui, Hong Kong, formally established in 1963 by a charter granted by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. It is the territory's second-oldest university an ...
in
Sha Tin
Sha Tin, also spelt Shatin, is a neighbourhood along Shing Mun River in the eastern New Territories, Hong Kong. Administratively, it is part of the Sha Tin District. Sha Tin is one of the neighbourhoods of the Sha Tin New Town project.
The ne ...
,
New Territories
The New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory, and contains around half of the population of Hong Kong. Historically, it ...
in
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
..
Named after
Charles, Prince of Wales
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to ...
(now
Charles III
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to ...
), and officially opened on 1 November 1982 by
Katharine, Duchess of Kent
Katharine, Duchess of Kent, (born Katharine Lucy Mary Worsley, 22 February 1933) is a member of the British royal family. She is married to Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, a grandson of King George V.
The Duchess of Kent converted to Roman Cath ...
, the hospital went into operation in 1 May 1984. The hospital now provides 1,807 hospital beds and 24-hour
accident and emergency
An emergency department (ED), also known as an accident and emergency department (A&E), emergency room (ER), emergency ward (EW) or casualty department, is a medical treatment facility specializing in emergency medicine, the Acute (medicine), ...
service with about 5,500 staff. It is also the regional hospital responsible for the Eastern New Territories serving
Sha Tin
Sha Tin, also spelt Shatin, is a neighbourhood along Shing Mun River in the eastern New Territories, Hong Kong. Administratively, it is part of the Sha Tin District. Sha Tin is one of the neighbourhoods of the Sha Tin New Town project.
The ne ...
,
Tai Po
Tai Po is an area in the New Territories of Hong Kong. It refers to the vicinity of the traditional market towns in the area presently known as Tai Po Old Market or Tai Po Kau Hui () (the original "Tai Po Market") on the north of Lam Tsue ...
, North New Territories,
Sai Kung
Sai Kung may refer to:
* Sai Kung Town, or just Sai Kung, a town and administrative area in the Sai Kung District, Hong Kong
* Sai Kung Peninsula, a peninsula in Hong Kong
* Sai Kung District, an administrative district in Hong Kong, which does no ...
and the outlying islands in East New Territories.
The hospital is supported by the
Li Ka-shing
Sir Ka-shing Li (; born 13 June 1928) is a Hong Kong billionaire business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. As of June 2019, Li is the 31st richest person in the world, with an estimated net wealth of US$33.4 billion. He is the senior ad ...
Specialist Clinics for specialty outpatient services. The Hospital Governing Committee is the ultimate decision-making authority of the hospital. The current chief executive of the hospital is Dr. Beatrice Cheng.
History
Planning and construction
In 1974, the Hong Kong government proposed the development of the second medical school in the territory (the first being University of Hong Kong) and a new teaching hospital in
Sha Tin
Sha Tin, also spelt Shatin, is a neighbourhood along Shing Mun River in the eastern New Territories, Hong Kong. Administratively, it is part of the Sha Tin District. Sha Tin is one of the neighbourhoods of the Sha Tin New Town project.
The ne ...
,
and that became the Faculty of Medicine of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Prince of Wales Hospital.
The construction of the Prince of Wales Hospital started on 1 December 1979, scheduled to be completed by September 1982, and be operational by May 1983. The plan was to allow the first batch of medical students admitted in October 1981 to start their clinical training at the hospital in July 1983. Unfortunately, the construction was delayed by a year, the hospital was finally completed in November 1983 and went into operation on 1 May 1984.
Despite the delay and change of the schedule, the official opening ceremony was held on 1 November 1982 as originally planned. It was performed by
Katharine, Duchess of Kent
Katharine, Duchess of Kent, (born Katharine Lucy Mary Worsley, 22 February 1933) is a member of the British royal family. She is married to Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, a grandson of King George V.
The Duchess of Kent converted to Roman Cath ...
.
Due to the delay, temporary arrangements were made with
United Christian Hospital
United Christian Hospital is an acute district general hospital in Kwun Tong of New Kowloon in Hong Kong, operated by the Hospital Authority. The hospital has 1,174 beds and staff of 3,000, serving eastern Kowloon.
Founded in 1973, it has link ...
for clinical teaching of the first batch of medical students, and the teaching activities were gradually transferred from United Christian Hospital to Prince of Wales Hospital.
Early years
In 1991, under a reform of the healthcare system, the management of the hospital (and other public hospitals) was transferred from the former Medical and Health Department to the Hospital Authority.
Until the mid-1990s, the hospital was responsible for providing medical services to the nearly 25,000
Vietnamese boat people
Vietnamese boat people ( vi, Thuyền nhân Việt Nam), also known simply as boat people, refers to the refugees who fled Vietnam by boat and ship following the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. This migration and humanitarian crisis was at its h ...
at Whitehead Detention Centre in nearby
Wu Kai Sha
Wu Kai Sha (), formerly known as Wu Kwai Sha or U Kwai Sha (), is a place at the shore of Tolo Harbour, northwest of Ma On Shan in the New Territories, Hong Kong. Wu Kai Sha is within the Sha Tin District, one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. ...
, once considered the world's largest prison.
In 1990, Vietnamese women made up a third of patients within the hospital's maternity unit, leading to allegations of strained hospital resources and a subsequent scheme to transfer many pregnant refugees to Queen Elizabeth Hospital instead. By 1994, some Sha Tin residents voiced dissatisfaction that their hospital bore the weight of the refugee's medical needs, but then-hospital chief executive Alison Reid responded that the boat people comprised only five per cent of monthly visits to A & E and that the local population was "not being disadvantaged". Still, in the same year, the hospital proposed setting up a 24-hour clinic inside the refugee camp. The situation ended with the resettlement or repatriation of the refugees under the
Comprehensive Plan of Action
The Comprehensive Plan of Action (CPA) is a program adopted in June 1989 at a conference in Geneva held by The Steering Committee of the International Conference on Indo-Chinese Refugees. It was designed to deter and to stop the continuing influx ...
.
The Sir Yue Kong Pao Centre for Cancer and the Lady Pao Children's Cancer Centre was officially opened by Charles, Prince of Wales in November 1994. Built with a donation of HK$120 million from Mr and Mrs
Peter Woo
Peter Woo Kwong-ching, GBM, GBS, JP (; born September 5, 1946) is a Hong Kong billionaire businessman. He was the chairman of Wheelock and Company Limited ()and The Wharf Holdings Limited () until 19 May 2015. As of April 2021, his net wo ...
, and named after Mrs Woo's parents, Sir
Yue-Kong Pao
Sir Yue-Kong Pao CBE JP (; 10 November 1918 — 23 September 1991), is the founder of Hong Kong's Worldwide Shipping Group which in the 20 years from purchasing its first used ship in 1955 became by far the largest shipping company in the wo ...
and Lady Pao, the centre provides cancer treatments and resources for cancer research and education.
The South Wing of the Li Ka Shing Specialist Outpatient Clinic was completed in June 1997, began operating in the following month, and was officially opened on 29 May 1998 by
Li Ka-shing
Sir Ka-shing Li (; born 13 June 1928) is a Hong Kong billionaire business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. As of June 2019, Li is the 31st richest person in the world, with an estimated net wealth of US$33.4 billion. He is the senior ad ...
, who donated HK$21 million to its establishment. With a total floor area of 7,930 square metres, the clinic provides additional space to cope with increasing demand for specialist outpatient services in the region.
SARS epidemic
In 2003, a severe epidemic
severe acute respiratory syndrome
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a viral respiratory disease of zoonotic origin caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-1), the first identified strain of the SARS coronavirus species, ''seve ...
(SARS) occurred in multiple countries. The epidemic in Hong Kong started with the outbreak in Prince of Wales Hospital on 10 March 2003 when 11 healthcare workers in ward 8A (later renamed 8H) had shown symptoms of
atypical pneumonia
Atypical pneumonia, also known as walking pneumonia, is any type of pneumonia not caused by one of the pathogens most commonly associated with the disease. Its clinical presentation contrasts to that of "typical" pneumonia. A variety of microorgan ...
at the same time.
Epidemiologic
Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population.
It is a cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decisions and evidenc ...
investigation had linked these cases to a patient who was admitted to ward 8A on 4 March 2003. The patient had previously visited an ill professor from
Guangzhou
Guangzhou (, ; ; or ; ), also known as Canton () and alternatively romanized as Kwongchow or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Located on the Pearl River about north-northwest of Hong Kon ...
.
The disease was unknown at the time. The infection soon spread extensively in ward 8A, affecting 143 individuals who had direct contact with the patient, including healthcare workers, medical students, other patients in the same ward, visitors, and the patient's relatives. It was found that the outbreak was amplified by the use of
nebuliser
In medicine, a nebulizer (American English) or nebuliser (British English) is a drug delivery device used to administer medication in the form of a mist inhaled into the lungs. Nebulizers are commonly used for the treatment of asthma, cystic fibro ...
treatment on the patient.
In response to the outbreak, the hospital had implemented several control measures, including restricting access to the 8th floor of the main building (where ward 8A was situated), suspension of some services, and dividing the medical team into a dirty team and a clean team. The dirty team, led by Professor
Joseph Sung, was responsible for taking care of SARS patients. The clean team was barred from the SARS wards.
The outbreak in the hospital eventually affected 239 individuals.
Recent developments
The hospital has undergone redevelopment since 2007. The Main Clinical Block and Trauma Centre, a fourteen-storey new building, was built on the site of the original helipad and tennis court. With a total gross floor area of 71,500 square metres, the new building provides in-patient services, operating theatres and day services. Construction work started on 23 April 2007 and the new building was opened in late 2010. The hospital began its 10-year phase 2 redevelopment project in 2018. The construction of a new In-patient Extension Block is expected to complete in 2025-2026.
In November 2013, the hospital was accredited by the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards International.
Management
Hospital Governing Committee
Prince of Wales Hospital is governed by a Hospital Governing Committee with members appointed by the Hospital Authority. The committee oversees the management of the hospital to ensure quality service and teaching environment. It is made up of two ex-officio members (the Director of Operations or his representative of the Hospital Authority and the Hospital Chief Executive) and five members (one public member of the Regional Advisory Committee, two representative of the Faculty of Medicine of CUHK, and two members nominated by the Hospital Authority), with one of the five members being the chairman. All members are normally appointed for a term of two years.
This is a list of current and former chairmen of the committee:
*
Peter Woo Kwong-ching
Peter Woo Kwong-ching, GBM, GBS, JP (; born September 5, 1946) is a Hong Kong billionaire businessman. He was the chairman of Wheelock and Company Limited ()and The Wharf Holdings Limited () until 19 May 2015. As of April 2021, his net wor ...
,
JP (1993–1995)
*
John Chan Cho-chak,
GBS,
JP (1995–2004)
*
Edward Ho Sing-tin,
SBS,
JP (2004–2014)
*Winnie Ng Wing-mui (2014–2020)
*Priscilla Wong Pui-sze (2020-present)
Hospital Chief Executive
Appointed by the Hospital Authority, the Hospital Chief Executive is in charge of managing the hospital and reports to the Hospital Governing Committee.
*Professor Allan Chang Mang-zing (acting, January 1993 – December 1993)
*Dr Alison M. Reid (April 1994 – )
*Professor Allan Chang Mang-zing (1999 – 31 October 2002)
*Dr
Fung Hong,
JP (1 November 2002 – 31 December 2013)
*Dr Hung Chi-tim (1 January 2014 – 31 October 2016)
*Dr Lo Su-vui (1 November 2016 – 26 February 2021)
*Dr Beatrice Cheng (1 May 2021 - present)
Medical Superintendent
Before the management of the hospital was transferred to the Hospital Authority, the head of the hospital was the Medical Superintendent, who reported to the regional director, and in turn to the Director of Medical and Health Services Department.
*Dr Mahommed Bin Ali (1984–)
*Dr Liu Woon-tim (–1989)
*Dr Paul Yip Leung-yin
Achievements
Assisted human reproduction
In November 1987, Prince of Wales Hospital delivered the first baby from
gamete intrafallopian transfer
Gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) is a tool of assisted reproductive technology against infertility. Eggs are removed from a woman's ovaries, and placed in one of the Fallopian tubes, along with the man's sperm. The technique, first attem ...
in Hong Kong.
In February 1991, the first twins resulting from pronuclear stage tubal transfer (PROST) in Hong Kong was born at the hospital. PROST is a technique that involves
in vitro fertilisation
In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a process of fertilisation where an egg is combined with sperm in vitro ("in glass"). The process involves monitoring and stimulating an individual's ovulatory process, removing an ovum or ova (egg or eggs) ...
(IVF), followed by transfer of the
pronuclear oocytes into the
fallopian tubes
The fallopian tubes, also known as uterine tubes, oviducts or salpinges (singular salpinx), are paired tubes in the human female that stretch from the uterus to the ovaries. The fallopian tubes are part of the female reproductive system. In ot ...
.
In April 1994, the first baby resulting from sub-zonal insemination (SUZI) in Hong Kong was born at the hospital. SUZI is an IVF technique where sperm is placed between the
zona pellucida
The zona pellucida (plural zonae pellucidae, also egg coat or pellucid zone) is a specialized extracellular matrix that surrounds the plasma membrane of mammalian oocytes. It is a vital constitutive part of the oocyte. The zona pellucida first ...
and the cell membrane of an oocyte.
Skin bank
The burns unit of the hospital opened Hong Kong's first skin bank on 14 November 1992. It was also the world's first comprehensive and multi-purpose skin bank set up to provide frozen pigskin, donated cadaver skin and cultivated skin, and to make and process biosynthetic skin.
Services
![Prince of Wales Hospital Overview 201106](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Prince_of_Wales_Hospital_Overview_201106.jpg)
The Prince of Wales Hospital provides a full range of clinical services, and 24-hour accident and emergency service:
*Accident and Emergency
*
Trauma centre
A trauma center (or trauma centre) is a hospital equipped and staffed to provide care for patients suffering from major traumatic injuries such as falls, motor vehicle collisions, or gunshot wounds. A trauma center may also refer to an emergenc ...
*
Anaesthesia
Anesthesia is a state of controlled, temporary loss of sensation or awareness that is induced for medical or veterinary purposes. It may include some or all of analgesia (relief from or prevention of pain), paralysis (muscle relaxation), am ...
(including
Intensive Care
Intensive care medicine, also called critical care medicine, is a medical specialty that deals with seriously or critically ill patients who have, are at risk of, or are recovering from conditions that may be life-threatening. It includes pro ...
)
*Anatomical & Cellular
Pathology
Pathology is the study of the causes and effects of disease or injury. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in ...
*Chemical Pathology
*Clinical
Oncology
Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study, treatment, diagnosis and prevention of cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an ''oncologist''. The name's etymological origin is the Greek word ὄγκος (''ó ...
(including
Radiotherapy
Radiation therapy or radiotherapy, often abbreviated RT, RTx, or XRT, is a therapy using ionizing radiation, generally provided as part of cancer treatment to control or kill malignant cells and normally delivered by a linear accelerator. Radia ...
)
*Combined
Endoscopy
An endoscopy is a procedure used in medicine to look inside the body. The endoscopy procedure uses an endoscope to examine the interior of a hollow organ or cavity of the body. Unlike many other medical imaging techniques, endoscopes are insert ...
*
Dental and
Maxillofacial Surgery
*Radiology
*Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery
*
Family Medicine
Family medicine is a medical specialty within primary care that provides continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and family across all ages, genders, diseases, and parts of the body. The specialist, who is usually a primary ...
*
Medicine
Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...
&
Therapeutics
A therapy or medical treatment (often abbreviated tx, Tx, or Tx) is the attempted remediation of a health problem, usually following a medical diagnosis.
As a rule, each therapy has indications and contraindications. There are many different ...
*
Microbiology
Microbiology () is the scientific study of microorganisms, those being unicellular (single cell), multicellular (cell colony), or acellular (lacking cells). Microbiology encompasses numerous sub-disciplines including virology, bacteriology, prot ...
*
Obstetrics
Obstetrics is the field of study concentrated on pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. As a medical specialty, obstetrics is combined with gynecology under the discipline known as obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN), which is a surgi ...
&
Gynaecology
Gynaecology or gynecology (see spelling differences) is the area of medicine that involves the treatment of women's diseases, especially those of the reproductive organs. It is often paired with the field of obstetrics, forming the combined are ...
*
Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology ( ) is a surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders.
An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a medic ...
&
Visual Science
*
Orthopaedics
Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics ( alternatively spelt orthopaedics), is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal ...
&
Traumatology
In medicine, traumatology (from Greek ''trauma'', meaning injury or wound) is the study of wounds and injuries caused by accidents or violence to a person, and the surgical therapy and repair of the damage. Traumatology is a branch of medicine. I ...
*
Paediatrics
Pediatrics ( also spelled ''paediatrics'' or ''pædiatrics'') is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, paediatrics covers many of their youth until the ...
*
Physiotherapy
Physical therapy (PT), also known as physiotherapy, is one of the allied health professions. It is provided by physical therapists who promote, maintain, or restore health through physical examination, diagnosis, management, prognosis, patient ...
*
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders. These include various maladaptations related to mood, behaviour, cognition, and perceptions. See glossary of psychiatry.
Initial psych ...
*
Surgery
Surgery ''cheirourgikē'' (composed of χείρ, "hand", and ἔργον, "work"), via la, chirurgiae, meaning "hand work". is a medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a person to investigate or treat a pat ...
, the hospital has 1,807 beds, all of which are general (acute and convalescent) beds. For the year ended 31 March 2019, it recorded 143,598 attendances in the Accident and Emergency Department, 182,996 inpatients and day-patients attendances, 853,806 attendances of outpatient clinical services, and 228,225 attendances for allied health services.
The hospital is also home to the Gender Identity Clinic, the territory's first and only gender clinic. Founded in 2016, it provides services to adults only.
Private services
Besides subsidised public services, the hospital has been providing private specialist outpatient services and private inpatient services since its opening in 1984 in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine of CUHK. Charged at market rates, the private services are intended for patients who want to have access to the expertise and facilities of the hospital, which may not be available at private hospitals.
Private service income is shared between the Hospital Authority, CUHK, and the departments and the doctors concerned.
The CUHK-PWH Medical Centre, located on the second floor of Block E, was established in January 2006 to provide private outpatient services at a central location. Before its establishment, the university's and the hospital's doctors used to attend their private patients at their own offices.
For the year ended 31 March 2007, the hospital had treated 11,097 private specialist outpatients and provided 6,709 bed-days for private inpatients. The numbers accounted for less than 2% of the total numbers that included both public and private services.
Transport
Trains
The hospital is about a three-minute walk from
City One MTR station. The station is on the
Tuen Ma line
The Tuen Ma line () is a rapid transit line that forms part of the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) system in Hong Kong. Coloured brown on the map, the Tuen Ma line is in length, making it the longest line of the MTR network. It has a total of ...
, providing a direct link from the hospital to different areas in the
Sha Tin District
Sha Tin District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. As one of the 9 districts located in the New Territories, it covers the areas of Sha Tin, Tai Wai, Ma On Shan, Fo Tan, Siu Lek Yuen, and Ma Liu Shui. The district is the most populo ...
.
Buses
The hospital is also served by the following bus routes: 73A, 80K, 82K, 84M, 85A, 86, 89S, 89X, 682B, N42 and N283; and the following
public light bus
The public light bus or minibus is a public transport service in Hong Kong. It uses minibuses to serve areas that standard Hong Kong bus lines cannot reach efficiently. The vehicles are colloquially known by the code-switch ' (Van Jái) lite ...
routes: 804, 808, 808P, 811, 811A, 813 and 813A. The bus stops are next to the entrance to the Main Clinical Block and Trauma Centre.
Cars
Car parks for patients and visitors are located on the second floor of the Day Treatment Block and Children Wards, and on the ground floor of the staff quarters.
Bicycles
Several cycling tracks lead to Prince of Wales Hospital, linking it to
Tai Wai
Tai Wai () is an area in the New Territories, Hong Kong, located between Sha Tin and the Lion Rock, within the Sha Tin District.
With three rapid transit stations, one of which an interchange station serving two lines, five bus termini and ...
, Sha Tin,
Ma On Shan
Ma On Shan may refer to:
* Ma On Shan (peak) ( zh, t=馬鞍山, s=马鞍山, l=saddle peak, links=no), a mountain in the New Territories of Hong Kong
* Ma On Shan (town), a New Town in the New Territories on the foot of Ma On Shan mountain
* Ma On ...
and Tai Po areas. The hospital provides over 200 bicycle parking spaces, located on the ground floor of:
*Special Block
*Staff Quarters Block C
*Madam S H Ho Hostel for Medical Students
*Boiler Room, Clinical Science Building (Professorial Block)
Incidents
Wastage of a donor liver
A donor liver for transplant was wasted on 15 June 2002 due to limited resources at the Prince of Wales Hospital, one of the two liver transplant centres in Hong Kong. The management of the hospital had imposed a quota of one liver transplant a month, and decided not to use the liver as the liver transplant team at the hospital had already performed two liver transplants earlier in June. The hospital was criticised for the decision. Queen Mary Hospital, the other liver transplant centre, was also unable to use the liver because it was engaged in another liver transplant.
The incident led to a review of the liver transplant services provided by the Hospital Authority. The result was to centralise liver transplants at Queen Mary Hospital for better allocation of resources and manpower. The liver transplant centre at the Prince of Wales Hospital was officially closed on 5 July 2004.
Intrathecal administration of vincristine
An
oncology
Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study, treatment, diagnosis and prevention of cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an ''oncologist''. The name's etymological origin is the Greek word ὄγκος (''ó ...
trainee erroneously injected a
leukaemia
Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ' ...
patient with the chemotherapy drug,
vincristine
Vincristine, also known as leurocristine and marketed under the brand name Oncovin among others, is a chemotherapy medication used to treat a number of types of cancer. This includes acute lymphocytic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, Hodgkin's ...
, via the
intrathecal
Intrathecal administration is a route of administration for drugs via an injection into the spinal canal, or into the subarachnoid space so that it reaches the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and is useful in spinal anesthesia, chemotherapy, or pain man ...
route instead of
intravenous
Intravenous therapy (abbreviated as IV therapy) is a medical technique that administers fluids, medications and nutrients directly into a person's vein. The intravenous route of administration is commonly used for rehydration or to provide nutrie ...
on 15 June 2007. The 21-year-old patient died 22 days later.
The patient was prescribed six oral drugs, intrathecal
cytarabine
Cytarabine, also known as cytosine arabinoside (ara-C), is a chemotherapy medication used to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It is given by in ...
and intravenous vincristine by another doctor, and was injected by the trainee later the day. The patient, feeling pain after the erroneous treatment, attended the Department of Accident and Emergency of the hospital on the next day and was admitted to the Department of Clinical Oncology. The error was not confirmed until 20 June 2007.
A special investigation panel, commissioned after the incident, made recommendations to prevent a recurrence of the incident, including establishing procedures on the transportation, storage, packaging and administration of intrathecal drugs.
Mis-prescribed medication
A 73-year-old woman died on 11 July 2011 after an intern mistakenly gave her five medicines intended for another patient on 9 July 2011.
The woman attended the Accident and Emergency Department of the Prince of Wales Hospital on 8 July due to shortness of breath and was admitted to the medical ward. The admission resident doctor prescribed the patient with her usual medications (including
aspirin
Aspirin, also known as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to reduce pain, fever, and/or inflammation, and as an antithrombotic. Specific inflammatory conditions which aspirin is used to treat inc ...
,
calcium carbonate,
Lasix
Furosemide is a loop diuretic medication used to treat fluid build-up due to heart failure, liver scarring, or kidney disease. It may also be used for the treatment of high blood pressure. It can be taken by injection into a vein or by mouth ...
and
Pantoloc). He wrote this on the patient's medical notes, transcribed her usual medications onto the patient's medication administration record, and then asked the intern to follow up on the management.
An investigation found that the intern perceived that the instruction was to resume the patient's usual medication in addition to those already prescribed on the record. She mistakenly transcribed five medications (including
Candesartan
Candesartan is an angiotensin receptor blocker used mainly for the treatment of high blood pressure and congestive heart failure. Candesartan has a very low maintenance dose. The metabolism for the drug is unique as it is a cascading prodrug. Can ...
,
Gliclazide
Gliclazide, sold under the brand name Diamicron among others, is a sulfonylurea type of anti-diabetic medication, used to treat type 2 diabetes. It is used when dietary changes, exercise, and weight loss are not enough. It is taken by mouth.
...
,
Metformin
Metformin, sold under the brand name Glucophage, among others, is the main first-line medication for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, particularly in people who are overweight. It is also used in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome. ...
,
Betaloc and
Isordil
Isosorbide dinitrate is a medication used for heart failure, esophageal spasms, and to treat and prevent angina pectoris, chest pain from not enough blood flow to the heart. It has been found to be particularly useful in heart failure due to systo ...
) intended for another patient onto the record.
Gauze retained in women’s bodies
Gauze was left in the vaginas of four women who had given birth at the Prince of Wales Hospital in June and July 2012. Three of the women had their
episiotomy
Episiotomy, also known as perineotomy, is a surgical incision of the perineum and the posterior vaginal wall generally done by a midwife or obstetrician. Episiotomy is usually performed during second stage of labor to quickly enlarge the opening ...
repair done by an intern in June, and the fourth woman was treated by a resident doctor in July. The problems were noticed when the women went for post-natal check-ups, and the gauze was removed. An investigation found that the intern was at fault for not checking the number of pieces of gauze involved.
After the incidents, the hospital has strengthened the episiotomy repair guidelines, which require the doctor to count the number of pieces of gauze together with a nurse after the procedure, to ensure that no gauze is retained in the patient's body.
See also
*
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...
*
List of hospitals in Hong Kong
This is a list of hospitals and other medical facilities in Hong Kong.
Public hospitals
All public hospitals in Hong Kong are managed by the Hospital Authority. They are organised into seven hospital clusters based on their locations.
Hong Kong ...
References
External links
Prince of Wales Hospital*
Wong & Ouyang (HK) Ltd."More than half-a-century of architectural design experience in Hong Kong" section "Prince of Wales Hospital", pp. 61–64, September 2009
{{Authority control
Hospital buildings completed in 1984
Chinese University of Hong Kong
Sha Tin
Yuen Chau Kok
Teaching hospitals in Hong Kong
Hospitals established in 1984
Extra areas operated by NT taxis
1984 establishments in Hong Kong