Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong Launches Integrated Chinese-Western Clinical Programmes for Post-Stroke and Low Back Pain Care
核心洞察
The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong (搜索) will launch its first two Special Disease Programmes on 27 July, focusing on post-stroke (搜索) rehabilitation and low back pain (搜索) management.
Both programmes adopt an integrated Chinese-Western medicine model, with Chinese medicine practitioners leading treatment design and conducting joint consultations with Western physicians.
Treatments combine acupuncture, herbal fumigation, moxibustion, and tui-na with modern physiotherapy, supported by dedicated nurse case managers coordinating cross-disciplinary follow-ups.
The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong (搜索) is set to launch its first batch of comprehensive treatment services on 27 July under its newly established Special Disease Programmes, marking a significant step in the integration of traditional Chinese medicine with modern Western medical care. The first phase will prioritise two clinical areas: post-stroke (搜索) care and lower-back-pain management.
The stroke (搜索) care programme focuses on the rehabilitation of patients from one week to three years post-stroke, provided they can move with assistance and do not require round-the-clock hospital care. The low back pain (搜索) management programme offers treatment for both acute and chronic symptoms. Based on clinical needs, post-stroke and back pain patients may also receive day ward services.
An Integrated Care Model
Both programmes will adopt an integrated Chinese-Western medicine approach, with Chinese medicine taking the lead in designing treatment strategies. An expert panel of Western medical doctors and Chinese medicine practitioners will establish the hospital's overarching clinical direction, while frontline medical staff from both disciplines will jointly consult patients and evaluate individual cases.
"Under this care continuity framework, Chinese medicine practitioners conduct joint consultations with Western physicians, whilst dedicated nurse case managers co-ordinate cross-disciplinary follow-ups for each patient," the hospital said in a statement.
The programmes combine a range of traditional therapies — including acupuncture, herbal fumigation, moxibustion, and tui-na — with Western medical support and physiotherapy. Physiotherapists and nursing teams will monitor patients' progress, with treatment plans adjusted where necessary.
Cheung Chun-hoi, Deputy Hospital Chief Executive for Chinese Medicine at the Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong (搜索), highlighted the distinctiveness of the hospital's offerings: "We perform a lot of Chinese medicine treatments that can be different from outside clinics or outside society, including acupuncture, fumigation treatment, moxibustion, and tui-na."
Clinical Rationale and Patient Impact
Hospital chief executive Bian Zhaoxian explained that programmes for low back pain (搜索) and post-stroke (搜索) care are being rolled out first because these conditions are very common in Hong Kong. He noted that the expert panel will monitor the treatment process and step in if necessary.
"We set the special expertise group to monitor, advise, and set up the protocol, which is also where we audit the process during the treatment. We have the planning to monitor and also to revise the protocol based on the patient's response," Bian said.
The hospital cited the case of a 67-year-old patient who suffered a transient ischaemic attack (搜索) several years ago, which affected his mobility. The patient reported that severe neck and shoulder pain, along with hand numbness, affected his sleep and that painkillers did not relieve the pain. "After receiving a series of treatments here, that is no longer the case. Now, only my fingers are less flexible, and I still find it difficult to raise my hand," he said.
Cheung noted that the patient initially had impaired hand mobility and an unsteady gait. His condition improved following targeted acupuncture, tui-na, and herbal fumigation treatments, with his walking becoming more stable and allowing him to walk for longer and exercise. "We are now focusing on improving his hand function," Cheung said. "His shoulder pain has been treated and he can move around already."
Service Access and Fee Structure
Charges for the programmes will follow the hospital's current fee structure, with subsidised services provided for eligible Hong Kong residents. Under this framework, each Chinese or Western doctor consultation will cost HK$250 for subsidised patients, while the cost ranges from HK$450 to HK$790 for others. Residents can now make appointments by phone or through WhatsApp messages.
Future Expansion Plans
The hospital will launch about 12 of its 23 targeted specific disease programmes within the first year. Bian confirmed that ten other special disease programmes will be delivered this year as planned, and the hospital will closely monitor the situation following the programmes' launch, potentially deploying extra staff to meet demand surges.
The hospital is also preparing to phase in 24-hour inpatient services from December, with some cases potentially moving from outpatient and day-patient services to inpatient care. Workforce development is underway, with about 1,500 job seekers attending a two-day job fair in early May. Partnerships with Mainland Chinese medicine hospitals will also allow practitioners and masters to conduct short- and long-term teaching and training in Hong Kong, according to Cheung.