Pave the way for cluster-based 24-hour PPCI

Charitable donations have the power to transform hospitals and the medical services they offer. Yan Chai Hospital (YCH) received funding to open a Cardiac Intervention Centre in 2022 to provide surgical treatment for heart disease patients. With the establishment of the centre, the Kowloon West Cluster (KWC) has introduced cluster-based 24-hour emergency primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) services since last year. “With these donations, we have acquired advanced medical equipment and expanded our services, explains YCH Department of Medicine Consultant Dr Kwong Nim-pong. “Our ultimate goal is to ensure as many patients as possible receive timely and appropriate treatment in order to save more lives.”

Before a cardiac catheterisation laboratory and related treatment facilities were established at YCH, heart disease patients had to be transferred to either Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) or Grantham Hospital (GH) for surgery, which was performed by YCH’s cardiologists. After surgery, patients were transferred back to the Coronary Care Unit at YCH. “YCH transferred out one to two heart disease patients daily, we have always hoped to establish our own cardiac catheterisation laboratory,” Dr Kwong recalls.

Lead to timely treatment for patients

YCH established its Cardiac Intervention Centre in 2022 with the support of generous donations from YCH Advisory Board Vice-Chairman Elizabeth Law. The centre features a cardiac catheterisation laboratory equipped with high-tech instruments, including biplane imaging system and intravascular ultrasound, and offers a range of cardiac surgical treatments. The hospital’s Coronary Care Unit was relocated next to the new centre and the number of beds was increased from four to eight. “Patients at YCH then could undergo PPCI without needing to transfer to another hospital. This allows them to receive treatment more quickly, reducing complications and mortality rates,” Dr Kwong says. “YCH Cardiac Intervention Centre cum Coronary Care Unit now handles over 500 cardiac cases a year, twice as many as it transferred to either PMH or GH before the centre was established.”

Despite the increasing number of patients needs to be handled, the service quality is not affected. A display board at the entrance to the centre is covered with thank-you cards from patients and their families with messages including “Thank you for the meticulous care and patience of the medical staff, who are thorough even when they are extremely busy” and “Thank you for saving lives. You are true heroes and angels”. Ward Manager (Cardiac Intervention Centre/ Coronary Care Unit) Wong Ka-lai reflects, “acute myocardial infarction occurs suddenly and the condition of patients deteriorates rapidly. Families are very grateful to the medical staff for rescuing their loved ones in a timely way and for allowing them to continue living together.”

The establishment of the centre has not only enhanced the hospital services of YCH but has also helped KWC achieve its goal of providing 24-hour emergency PPCI. Cardiac teams from PMH, Caritas Medical Centre, and YCH have collaborated since last June to form a cluster-based PPCI team, ensuring teams are on call during non-office hours.

Heart disease is one of the most common causes of death in Hong Kong, accounting for about 13% of all deaths in 2023. Dr Kwong says, “in response to rising medical needs, we plan to further enhance the services of the Cardiac Intervention Centre. This includes increasing the number of surgeries to shorten patient waiting times, and expanding our services to include more varied types of cardiac surgeries.”