The Hospital Authority (HA) announced Thursday (Feb. 24) that Tin Shui Wai Hospital (TSWH) will utilize the entire 300 beds to receive COVID-19 patients from midnight Saturday (Feb. 26) onwards. The contingency measure can help concentrate manpower and resources to care for patients and cope with the severe epidemic situation.
The Hospital Chief Executive of TSWH, Dr Chong Yee-hung, said, “the Accident and Emergency Department (A&E) will maintain service, while ambulances will only send patients with emergent medical needs to TSWH. Other patients will be diverted to Tuen Mun Hospital for treatment. For patients who attended A&E on their own, service is not affected.”
Other patients currently hospitalized in TSWH will gradually be transferred to Tuen Mun Hospital, Pok Oi Hospital and other public hospitals, so as to vacate the beds for receiving COVID-19 patients. Specialist outpatient clinics (SOPC) will maintain services, amid stable patients will be arranged to refill drugs without consultation. Patients have appointments with allied health, radiology and hemodialysis services will be arranged to continue their treatment in other hospitals or through telecare. Affected patients will be notified by the staff members for the arrangements.
TSWH has planned designated arrival and departure routes for COVID-19 patients in accordance with infection control guidelines to avoid overlapping with A&E and SOPC patients. The hospital has strengthened ventilation and provided proper personal protective equipment and infection control training to the staff, in order to safeguard the well-being of patients, staff members and residents in the community.
The HA expressed apology to the patients affected, appealed to patients and members of the public for understanding, and thanked for their co-operation. The HA will closely monitor the demand of healthcare services in Tin Shui Wai and the operation of TSWH to provide appropriate medical support to the residents there.
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