Expanded observation wards to reduce number admitted
The Hospital Authority will expand observation wards in all accident and emergency departments in an effort to ease admission rates to hard-pressed public hospitals.
The scheme, which will cover all 14 public hospitals, follows similar changes two years ago at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Tuen Mun Hospital.
The scale of the expansion would depend on the space available and policies at individual hospitals, said Ho Hiu-fai, who heads the authority's co-ordination committee for accident and emergency departments.
Dr Ho said the expansion would reduce ward admissions, with patients initially being kept under observation rather than being sent straight to a ward.
A review of the expansion at Queen Elizabeth and Tuen Mun hospitals had shown a reduction in admissions from the accident and emergency departments.
