We mourn the passing of Professor Sir David Todd on 16 August 2017.  Widely revered by the medical profession in Hong Kong and internationally for his achievements in medical education and research, Professor Todd also had an unassailable reputation for his selfless dedication to patient care and numerous community services. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, and he had contributed immensely to the development and growth of medicine in the city and beyond.

Besides the joint press release issued by the HKU Faculty of Medicine, the Academy and Hospital Authority on 17 August, the Academy has informed Fellows and overseas/ institutions of this saddening news (full message).  A Condolence Corner was also set up at the Library of the Academy building for those who wish to express condolences, share thoughts and reminiscences about him.  In the meantime, the Academy is working with the HKU counterparts on a memorial book for Professor Todd to be distributed during the David Todd Oration to be held on 15 December.

On 2 October, a memorial service for Professor Todd, co-organised by The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, Hong Kong College of Physicians and Diocesan Boys’ School, will be held.  Details are as follows:

(Please register here) 

In lieu of flowers, Professor Todd’s family would appreciate that donations be made to "The University of Hong Kong" to support the "Paul and Margaret Todd Scholarship” of the Faculty of Medicine, HKU, or to “The Chinese University of Hong Kong” to support the “Margaret Todd Prize in Nursing” of the Faculty of Medicine, CUHK.

We are pleased to present the logo designs shortlisted by our Judging Panel, which are eligible to compete for the Best Design. The Best Design will be used in all the Academy's events, and displayed on our letterhead, website, corporate souvenirs and all communication for the anniversary year as a visual commemoration.

You are invited to vote for the Best Design from Hong Kong time 0900hrs, 8 September 2017 (Friday) to 1700hrs, 29 September 2017 (Friday) online. Each Fellow could only vote once. The design with the highest votes will be awarded as the Best Design, and the prize (a certificate and a 12.9 inch iPAD Pro WiFi 256GB) will be awarded at the Academy's 24th Annual Fellowship Conferment Ceremony scheduled on 15 December 2017 (Friday).

Let’s vote now! (https://www.hkamonline.hk/25thLogoCompetition/)

The Secretariat office will close early at 3 p.m. on Mid-Autumn Festival, 4 October 2017.

The Academy wishes all Fellows a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival.

Decision Making in Medical Crisis Course
This newly established one-day course is co-organised by Hong Kong Jockey Club Innovative Learning Centre for Medicine (HKJC ILCM) and Hong Kong Jockey Club Disaster Preparedness and Response Institute (HKJCDPRI) aiming to introduce participants to pitfalls in decision making and factors affecting the thinking process under crisis situations through interactive learning activities.

The second run of this Course will be held on 11 October 2017 (Wednesday) at HKJC ILCM. Healthcare professionals who want to learn decision making skills in both medical crisis and everyday emergency situations are welcome to apply for it.

Enrolment is accepted by submitting your registration forms to us by 27 September 2017 (Wednesday).  For details, please click here.

More courses will be announced soon on ILCM website:

• Comprehensive Simulation Educator Course (CSEC), 23 - 26 November 2017 (Thursday - Sunday)
• Advanced Simulation Training in Mechanical Ventilation (ASTiM), 5 December 2017 (Tuesday)
• Advanced Debriefing Course by Center for Medical Simulation, 11 – 14 December 2017 (Monday - Thursday)

Event Safety Seminar - Are you prepared for an emergency in an event?
The recent major incidents happened in overseas live events such as the terror attack in Manchester Arena, served as a harsh reminder of the ever-present threat during any live event. The work of event safety does not rely only on the event organisers and emergency responders but also the general public, the Government and industry stakeholders.

Organised by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Disaster Preparedness and Response Institute (HKJCDPRI) with support of the Asia World Expo, the seminar titled “Event Safety Seminar – Are you prepared for an emergency in an event” on 23 September 2017 aims to provide practical insights for event organisers, emergency preparedness and response organisations, and all those who provide support to live events industry. Bringing together a group of international and local experts, participants will learn about the latest venue security planning strategies, protocols and technologies, as well as experts' insights on balancing security, operational efficiency and public image.

• What can go wrong during live events
• The latest event security planning strategies, protocols and technologies

• Crowd Management technologies and system to ensure safe and efficient evacuation

• Emergency Management of HKSAR Government

Target audience include event organisers, emergency preparedness and response organisations, and all those who provide support to live events industry. For details and registration, please visit www.hkjcdpri.org.hk/eventsafety

“Prepare Disasters as Part of our Daily Lives” Micro-film Competition
HKJCDPRI launches annual campaign to enhance community resilience through a range of public education activities. Among those, "Multi-media Creative Competition" aims to increase public awareness by engaging participants through an interactive creation process.

This year, we encouraged secondary and tertiary school students to produce micro-films themed “Prepare Disasters as Part of our Daily Lives”. Quality films from 19 teams were collected, while awards winners were concluded after rounds of selection by a professional judging panel.

The “Awards Presentation Ceremony” for the competition will be held on 17 September (Sun) at the Temple Mall, Wong Tai Sin. Taking the chance, HKJCDPRI will collaborate with the Civil Aid Services (CAS) and Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO) of Civil Engineering and Development Department, to showcase their expertise on disaster preparedness and response. Professional mountain rescue equipment will be demonstrated, while the participants will have a chance to experience the devastating landslide scene in HK back in 1972 using virtual reality simulation eyewear.

We envisage an enhanced level of vigilance and knowledge on disaster risk reduction among the general public along the way. Hand-in-hand it is our belief that we can make a difference! Join us now, and see what we can do here: https://www.facebook.com/hkjcdpri (Chinese only).

The HKAM and Medical Alumni Golf Tournament 2017 has been scheduled on 1 November 2017 (Wednesday) Hong Kong Golf Club (Fanling) - Eden Course.

Details and registration: http://www.hkamonline.hk/golf2017
Deadline for entry: 9 October 2017

Demand notes for the 2017 subscriptions have been sent to Fellows in December 2016. Fellows who have not settled their subscription before 30 June should have received a demand note for subscription and surcharge. Please settle the payment as soon as possible.

Reminders:

1. All payments must be received by the Academy before 30 September.
According to Bylaw 6.4:
If a member's fee or any other moneys due by a member to the Academy is not received by the Academy within 9 months after such payment falls due, despite two written reminders by the Academy to pay, the member shall automatically forfeit his membership.

2. It is Council's policy that late subscriptions received by the Academy after 30 June will be subject to a surcharge of 5% on the subscription amount.

3. For Fellows who have authorised payment via bank transfer/credit card, payments will be deducted from their bank accounts or credit card automatically.

4. Fellows aged over 70, or have reached 70 before the beginning of the next subscription year, do not need to pay any subscription and will not receive a debit note.

5. Fellows residing outside Hong Kong or have reached the age of 65 and have retired from all remunerative practice/job/business must submit written applications for reduced rates before 31 December if they wish to enjoy the reduced rates next year. For details, please visit http://www.hkam.org.hk/fellows_area/reduced_rate.pdf.

e-Receipt

A new function "e-Receipt" in the iCMECPD website is now available.  Fellows who have settled the payment for 2017 subscription can login to iCMECPD (User's Corner→Receipt for Annual Subscription) to view and print their Annual Subscription receipts online. To reduce environmental impact, printed copies may only be sent upon request starting next year.

Please note that the CME/CPD Principles & Guidelines for the cycle 2017-19 will remain unchanged, i.e. no more than 75 points can be awarded for passive participation in a 3-year cycle. Fellows are strongly advised to maintain a balanced CME/CPD profile with a mix of different activities, in order to capture the full benefit of different types of CME/CPD activities.

The document, Principles & Guidelines 2017-19, is available online here on the Academy website.

(Note: Individual Colleges will have their own set of guidelines based on what have been agreed at the Academy level. There may be specific rules or requirements that the Colleges determine to be relevant for their specialties.)

The Academy sometimes gets error messages when sending messages to Fellows' registered emails, which may be caused by full mailboxes, invalid addresses, etc. A valid email address is an essential detail for Fellows to gain access to iCMECPD account and view the CME/CPD profile. In order to help us maintain an up-to-date database, please keep us informed whenever there are changes to your email address, mailing address or contact number by logging into your account of iCMECPD (http://www.icmecpd.hk). Please also be reminded to keep your registered emails active by ensuring there is sufficient mailbox capacity.

To further enhance the online services for CME/CPD, the Academy has developed a mobile application for capturing attendance - iCMECPD App. It is now available at Apple's App Store and Google's Play. Fellows may download the App by scanning the respective QR code below (or search "icmecpd" from App Store/Google Play) and install it in their smartphone with operating system in iOS (8.0 or above) or Android (4.3 or above).

Starting from 2017, Fellows may capture their attendance by using the App to scan the QR code for CME/CPD activities held by the Academy/Colleges at the HKAM Jockey Club Building. The Academy has started liaising with organisers on pilot runs of the App for their activities to be held so that they will gradually use this paperless online accreditation application and attendance capture process from 2017 onward. In addition, briefing sessions will be conducted for organisers to further promote the App and the system.

Install the iCMECPD App to Get a Special Gift
Fellows who have installed and logged into the iCMECPD App can get a special gift from the Academy at the CME/CPD counter during our upcoming events. Come to our events to get the gift!

iCMECPD App

Hong Kong Medical Journal is pleased to announce the completion of the HKAMedTrack system <http://www.hkamedtrack.org/hkmj>, an online manuscript submission and peer review system developed by the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine. The system is a web-based tool designed for manuscript submission, review, and tracking. HKAMedTrack system will result in greater efficiency and convenience, and faster turnaround times for authors, reviewers, and editors throughout the submission and refereeing process. It will streamline the review process and decrease the time from submission to the initial decision on publication. Please visit the website which will provide step-by-step guide for authors to submit a paper.

HKMJ Impact Factor
The most recent (2016) Impact Factor for Hong Kong Medical Journal is 1.111, according to the 2016 Journal Citation Reports released by Thomson Reuters in 2017. The Editorial Board would like to thank the authors and reviewers for their continuous support.

Highlights of the August 2017 issue:

Original Article
Early surgery for Hong Kong Chinese elderly patients with hip fracture reduces short-term and long-term mortality This study provides evidence that Key Performance Indicator (KPI) can increase the percentage of patients who undergo early surgery and improve their clinical outcome. High-risk patients with medical co-morbidities were identified for prompt preoperative optimisation under KPI.
Review Article
Hypersensitivity to antipyretics: pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management Clinicians need to strike a balance between ‘hypersensitivity phobia’ for the sake of drug safety and liberal use of antipyretics to uphold patients’ rights. Knowledge of the pathogenesis of antipyretic hypersensitivity and meticulous diagnostics are key to judicious management.
Pictorial Medicine
Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome: a rare cause of familial spontaneous pneumothorax Physicians should be alert to the possibility of Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome in a patient who presents with diffuse cystic lung disease, particularly in the presence of a positive family history.

Volume 23 Issue 3 Supplement 2, 2017 Health and Health Services Research Fund Research Dissemination Reports Dissemination reports are concise informative reports of health-related research supported by funds administered by the Food and Health Bureau, for example, the Health and Health Services Research Fund (which was consolidated into the Health and Medical Research Fund in December 2011). In this edition, 11 dissemination reports of projects related to tobacco control, neurology, respiratory diseases, traditional Chinese medicine, and reproductive system and childbirth are presented. In particular, four projects are highlighted due to their potentially significant findings, impact on healthcare delivery and practice, and/or contribution to health policy formulation in Hong Kong.

Gala Dinner for Celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Establishment of the HKSAR cum Hong Kong International Dental Expo and Symposium (HKIDEAS), 6 August 2017
Honorary Treasurer Dr. Y.F. Chow joined the gala dinner organised by the Hong Kong Dental Association, and was invited to be part of the cake cutting and toasting ceremony on stage. The theme of the HKIDEAS 2017 was “New Horizon in Dentistry”.

Consultative Session on the 2017-18 Policy Address, 8 August 2017
President Prof. C.S. Lau attended the consultative session for the medical profession chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration and also attended by the Secretary for Food and Health. A submission was made with views from specialty Colleges incorporated.

Western Pacific Regional Conference, 26 August 2017
Vice-President (General Affairs) Dr. C.C. Lau attended the conference organised by the Medical Women’s International Association (WMIA) and officiated the opening ceremony. The theme of the MWIA 2017 was “Woman - Health - Empowerment”.

Celebrate a lovely Mid-Autumn Festival with your family at the Academy and enjoy a sumptuous dinner of authentic Cantonese cuisine!

Fellows can enjoy 10% off the original price of this special menu, valid from 24 September to 5 October 2017.

For reservation and enquiries, please call 2871 8888.

Online reservation is available now! You can scan the QR code or visit https://www.hkamonline.hk/yumcha to book a table and enjoy our vast range of Cantonese dim sum at the Academy.

Fellows could now enjoy exclusive 20% off Mid-Autumn mooncakes and hampers, which are offered by Island Shangri-La this year.

Fellows can place order(s) by completing and returning an order form to the hotel directly. Offer valid till stocks last. Please download the order form for details, and call 2820 8319 for enquiries.

Present your valid HKAM Fellowship card to enjoy 20% off on buffet, a la carte menu and holiday brunch.  Click here for details.

A wide range of well-designed, quality Academy gifts and accessories are available at the Academy Lounge. You may also place an order by completing and returning an order form to the Secretariat.

• Order Form

The Academy Lounge is a nicely decorated place with cosy atmosphere ideal for social occasions. The Lounge offers a menu of gourmet appetizers and drink specials, as well as BBQ menus.

Summer Mocktails    NEW!
Selected mocktails are available at the Academy Lounge during July-October. Click here for the mocktails menu.

The College of Pathologists has released a new issue of Topical Update. Its title is "Molecular alterations of gastrointestinal stromal tumor - Prognostic and therapeutic implications" by Dr. Anthony W.H. Chan. Interested Fellows please click the link below to view the document.

Topical Update

The Academy of Experts (AoE) will run several Expert Witness Training Programme in Hong Kong in November 2017. The Academy is a supporting organisation for this programme. Fellows can enjoy special rates. Please click here for further details. All the registrations should be sent directly to the organiser by fax at (852) 3010 1269. For enquiry, please contact AoE directly at [email protected].

There are various legal and ethical issues concerning corruption faced by medical practitioners in the pursuit of their profession. These can take the form of bribery, improper acceptance of sponsorship and donation, fraud, conflict of interest and mishandling of proprietary information.

To effectively avoid mishandling of these issues, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has produced a series of case studies to illustrate the legal requirements and risks of corruption or malpractices. The case studies would be published in five consecutive issues of the Monthly eNews starting from September 2017. 

Please note the following announcement from the Drug Office of Department of Health:

• PRAC confirms its previous conclusion on risk of inhibitor development with factor VIII medicines
• PRAC recommends modified-release paracetamol be removed from market
• Ibrutinib (Imbruvica▼): reports of ventricular tachyarrhythmia; risk of hepatitis B reactivation and of opportunistic infections
• Corticosteroids: rare risk of central serous chorioretinopathy with local as well as systemic administration
• FDA recommends separating dosing of potassium-lowering drug sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Kayexalate) from all other oral drugs

The eHealth News is published to help people understand better the latest eHR development. The most recent issue of eHealth News 《醫健通訊》 has been published and is available at the Electronic Health Record (eHR) Office website:

• eHealth News (English | Chinese)