【明報專訊】◆Source A

Waiting time in hours for emergency room services at public hospitals on the first day after a long holiday

(See picture)

◆Source B

As the peak flu season continues, waiting time for emergency room services at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, United Christian Hospital, Tuen Mun Hospital and Prince of Wales Hospital all exceeds eight hours. Sophia Chan, Secretary for Food and Health, said that wards and manpower at Princess Margaret Hospital were under strain, while the emergency rooms of North District Hospital were also packed with patients. She said that she would meet with experts from the faculties of medicine of the two universities to discuss research on the flu, including the collection of Hong Kong flu data.

Meanwhile, Leung Pak-yin, Chief Executive of Hospital Authority, said that the Hospital Authority would add 1,000 places for general out-patient appointments to cope with the increase in patient numbers.

Source: Ming Pao, 2018.02.19

■Questions and answering guidelines

1. Explain why people visiting public hospitals increase after the Chinese New Year holiday.(6 marks)

Unavailability of private healthcare services:

Many clinics are closed during the holidays and are not back in service immediately afterwards. Many citizens have to visit public hospitals despite their mild symptoms, leading to an increase in patient numbers.

Chinese New Year customs:

People visit each other to celebrate the Chinese New Year as a custom. They also dine together around a table, which increases the risk of droplet infection. This causes the numbers of patients and visitors to public hospitals to increase.

Spread of influenza raises awareness:

The seriousness of flu epidemics in recent years has not only resulted in an increase in patients but also endangered lives. Such being the case, most citizens seek medical help immediately after flu symptoms develop, therefore the number of patients increases.

2. What are the negative impacts of the above situation on Hong Kong's public health? (6 marks)

Increased likelihood of medical incidents:

As the number of people seeking medical help increases, so does the waiting time. Public hospitals have to lengthen the working time of medical staff to cope with the demand. Prolonged working time affects the medical staff's ability to concentrate and make judgement, making misdiagnosis and even medical incidents more likely. This might affect public healthcare standards.

Worsening of illnesses:

Timely treatment is necessary for recovery. The long waiting time might prevent some patients from receiving timely care and treatment. This could worsen their illnesses and impact on their health.

Erosion of confidence in healthcare:

As patients spend hours waiting for medical treatment, they lose confidence in the public healthcare system, thinking that public hospitals cannot handle people's needs.

Text: 劉俊偉, Liberal Studies teacher at Po Leung Kuk Yao Ling Sun College

Translation: Terence Yip

[通通識 第538期]