President
Dr WU Wing Yee Clara
Hong Kong College of Emergency Medicine
Dear Fellows and Trainees,
2022 no doubt was a year of challenge, hard work and progress. The rapid and fierce fifth wave of COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant had swept all over Hong Kong since the beginning of the year with over half of the population being infected, healthcare workers and medical professionals included. The unprecedented surge in cases had overwhelmed the public healthcare system and unveiled how vulnerable the city was in facing a crisis of this magnitude.
Regardless of the tough roller-coaster ride with anguish and uncertainty, the College remained steadfast in its commitment to meeting the evolving professional training needs of its Fellows and Trainees. The third edition of Practice of Emergency Medicine was under review and expected to be published in August 2023.
As planned and announced last year, we had formed a Wellbeing Taskforce to nurture a culture of physical and mental wellness, and to provide guidance on finding support and treatment for EM physicians in need of professional help.
The Research Taskforce established in January 2021 submitted a report to provide strategic advice in fostering collaboration among stakeholders and to promulgate research initiatives at each Training Centre. In response to the report, the Research Office (RO) was established with the first meeting held on 22 June 2022. The research output from EM Training Centre and research plan was stock-taken, and RO website was under development.
I was extremely honoured and privileged to be speaking amongst a panel of renowned leaders including Professor Philip CHEN, Professor LAU Chak Sing, Dr LAU Chor Chiu and Dr Axel SIU at the Leadership Workshop on 6 August 2022. Each speaker had fostered a unique perspective on leadership and inspired the audience in many ways.
Two of our former presidents Dr HO Hiu Fai and Dr Axel SIU were nominated as the Vice President of International Federation for Emergency Medicine (IFEM) and President of Asian Society for Emergency Medicine (ASEM) respectively. Dr HO and Dr SIU have been dedicated to deepening and enhancing the ties between the College and its global affiliates throughout and beyond their tenures as College Presidents. With their well-established international presence, I look forward to collaborating closely with our international counterparts in the near future.
The Asian Conference on Emergency Medicine (ACEM) held between 17 and 19 December 2021 was the first full virtual conference hosted by the College. Addressed contemporary global challenges, shared Asian Pacific Emergency Department solutions and best practices, ignited new ideas and innovations were some of the focuses of the Conference.
The HKCEM 25th Anniversary celebration continued in 2022 with the Scientific Symposium on Emergency Medicine (SSEM) titled ” Emergency Medicine Silver Jubilee – Past, Present, and Future; 急症銀禧，擁抱過去，創造未來” scheduled on 29 October 2022, and publication of a 25th Anniversary Book in 4Q 2022. A salute to the editorial board headed by Dr YANG Siu Ming Sam and Dr LEE Ming Ming Wilfred who worked tirelessly to communicate with various EM authors and publishers to ensure the publication meet quality standards and deadlines.
HKCEM Training Centre Accreditation Visits took place in June 2022 and 17 hospitals received full accreditation until June 2027, namely Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Ruttonjee & Tang Shiu Kin Hospitals, Queen Mary Hospital, Kwong Wah Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Tseung Kwan O Hospital, United Christian Hospital, Caritas Medical Centre, North Lantau Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital, Yan Chai Hospital, Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital, North District Hospital, Prince of Wales Hospital, Pok Oi Hospital, Tin Shui Wai Hospital, and Tuen Mun Hospital. Whereas St. John Hospital, Gleneagles Hospital, HKU- Shenzhen Hospital and Union Hospital received partial accreditation.
Our College was also engaged in the Shenzhen Specialist Training Centers Accreditation in August 2022. Emergency Department of five Shenzhen hospitals included 深圳市人民醫院, 深圳市第二人民醫院, 北京大學深圳醫院, 香港大學深圳醫院,華中科技大學協和深圳醫院were granted full accreditation. The accreditation exercise would be held every five years and was a reflection of mainland’s commitment to professionalism and high-quality healthcare.
I would like to end this address with a warm welcome to our new Council Members Dr CHAN Tung Ning, Dr LUI Chun Tat, Dr WONG Chun Yin, and Dr YUEN Cheuk Pun Eddie. My sincere gratitude for their willingness to serve and I trust that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise that they bring to the College Council could better equip us in meeting the challenges ahead. Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Clara Wu