Most Proposed Topic :
Healthcare Advances, Research and Innovations (new projects / technology)
Proposed Topic (Second preferred): :
Clinical Safety and Quality Service I (Projects aiming to improve efficiency and effectiveness of care delivery to meet international standards)
Authors: (including presenting author): :
Cheung SSS(1), Mok WY(1), Hau V(1), Lai SWV(1), Mak SYC (1)
Affiliation: :
(1) Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology (O&T) – Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH)
Introduction: :
Since September 22, 2014, the Hospital Authority (HA) has implemented the Integrated Chinese-Western Medicine (ICWM) Pilot Programme within the Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology (O&T) at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH), specifically targeting musculoskeletal pain management. Given that Chinese Medicine Practitioners (CMPs) are not currently responsible for inpatient care, nurses assume a pivotal role in coordinating the ICWM Programme, serving as intermediaries between the Western Medicine (WM) Team, CMPs, patients and allied health professionals.
Objectives: :
This study aims to explore the significant role of nursing professionals in promoting and facilitating the ICWM service within the Department of O&T.
Methodology: :
From the inception of the ICWM Pilot Programme, nurses have actively contributed to the development of patient workflows and the establishment of evaluation measures. Additionally, nurses have played a vital role in explaining the programme as well as collecting outcome measures and conducting satisfaction surveys among all enrolled patients. As intermediaries, nurses facilitate effective communication and collaboration between Chinese and Western healthcare providers, ensuring seamless integration of both medical systems.
Result & Outcome: :
During the ICWM Pilot Programme, spanning from September 2014 to August 2023, a total of 10,922 patients were screened, among which 1,334 patients were enrolled. The distribution of diseases among the enrolled patients receiving ICWM treatment was low back pain, shoulder & neck pain, and low back pain accompanied by neck & shoulder pain. The treatment modality include Acupuncture, Cupping, TuiNa and Chinese medicine. Notably, all the recruited patients proven that the nurse had given a clear explanation and they were fully understanding on the programme logistic. The patients expressed high satisfaction with 9.7 out of 10 score on the service attitude, while an overall high satisfaction level scored 9.4 out of 10 marks on the ICWM Pilot Programme. The collection of outcome measures before and following ICWM treatment together with the subsequent phone follow-sessions by nurses also plays an important role in the ICWM programme review process. This collaborative approach guarantees that patients receive comprehensive and well-coordinated care, with treatments from both systems complementing each other. Moreover, nurses provide ongoing support and education to patients, empowering them to actively participate in their healthcare journey and adopt positive lifestyle changes that enhance their overall well-being.
Being a member of Specialty Advisory Group (Traditional Chinese Medicine), the Specialty Nursing Service Guideline for ICWM was reviewed periodical. At the final stage of pilot programme, the ICWM specially nurse had conducted several sharing sessions for sharing the experience throughout the pilot journey.
In conclusion, ICWM nurses demonstrate their instrumental role as coordinators, facilitating various aspects of service development, patient flow, staff training, risk management, data collection, and the dissemination of updated information and guidelines. Consequently, the ICWM Programme has successfully transitioned into a regularized programme within the Department of O&T at PYNEH and has been able to achieve the annual plan schedule of the Hospital Authority.
