A conference jointly organised by the Academy and The University of Chicago Medicine will be held on 16 March 2019. Distinguished speakers from overseas and Hong Kong will discuss the ethical issues with Advanced Biotechnology. Please find more details here and register early.

The Academy is organising the 5^th Medical Education Conference (MEC) on 4 May 2019. The theme of this year’s conference is “Curriculum Reform”. The one-day Conference features plenary lectures, symposia and workshops, delivered by renowned local and overseas speakers. Details about the programme can be found at the Conference website: http://page.hkam.org.hk/mec2019.

Plenary Speakers:

• Dr. Graham MCMAHON, President and Chief Executive Officer, Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME)
  Topic: Evolving Medical Education to Meet Learners’ Changing Needs

• Dr. David TAYLOR, Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Queen's University, Canada
  Topic: Reforming Assessment in Competency-based Medical Education: Entrustable Professional Activities

• Prof. ZHANG Shuyang, Vice President, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, China
  Topic: Postgraduate Curriculum Reform in China

Please click here to register now.

Call for abstracts: The Conference welcomes the submission of abstracts around “Postgraduate Medical Education” for poster presentation on or before 4 April 2019.

For enquiries, please contact the MEC 2019 Secretariat at [email protected].

The Academy, Academy of Medicine of Malaysia, Academy of Medicine, Singapore and Hong Kong College of Family Physicians are organising the 4^th AMM-AMS-HKAM Tripartite Congress cum 53^rd Singapore Malaysia Congress of Medicine & Hong Kong Primary Care Conference 2019 on 6-8 December 2019. The Congress theme is “People-centred Care: Towards Value-based Innovations”.

More details about the programme and registration will be announced later.

In view of the increase in operating expenses such as building maintenance and utility costs, the Council has recently endorsed the recommendation from the Finance and Investment Committee to adjust the fee rates with effect from January 2019.  Fellows will receive demand notes with the below new rates from the Academy in January 2019.

Full rate: HK$3,300
Overseas rate: HK$1,650
Reduced/Retired rate: HK$1,100

The co-branded credit card programme between the Academy and Dah Sing Bank will expire on 26 June 2019. Fellows holding the co-branded credit card will receive a formal notification from the bank in early March, regarding the replacement with a generic credit card. Discount and double Bonus Points for spending at the Academy’s Dining Room, Academy Lounge and booking of venues for private functions, as well as settlement of annual subscription fee by direct debit authorisation service will be discontinued. Please be reminded to make all necessary arrangements as appropriate.

Fellows can still use the card to settle HKAM Fellowship annual subscription before the programme expires.  For details, please contact the bank at (852) 2828 8168 directly.

The Academy and the Colleges have lost contact with the following Fellows and need your assistance in locating them. If you happen to know their whereabouts, please contact the Academy Secretariat by telephone at (852) 2871 8888, fax (852) at 2505 5577 or email to [email protected], or ask the Fellows concerned to contact us directly.

• WAN, Koon Yat (Hong Kong College of Radiologists)
• WONG, Wing Hung Andrew (The College of Surgeons of Hong Kong)

HKJC ILCM Upcoming Courses:

For details of the above courses, please visit ILCM website at www.hkjcilcm.hk
Enquiries: 2871 8718 or [email protected]

Course Highlights:

Comprehensive Simulation Educator Course (CSEC)
The CSEC aims to provide the essential knowledge, and develop learners’ competence, in planning a simulation-based education activity, scenario development, direction, execution and debriefing methods. This course will enable the participants to have an understanding of the basic concepts of learner-centred education.

Different types of simulators and simulation techniques, and their respective applications will be covered to provide the participants with the resources for their teaching purposes. At the end of the course, the participants will have the basic knowledge and skill to plan and run a simulation-based training course, develop the necessary training material, direct a scenario and debrief the learners on the learning objectives. The course also intends to cultivate interest and passion in simulation-based education, and learners are provided with different methods to maintain and enhance their knowledge and skills in simulation-based education.

For courses in 2019, please refer to the table above. Application has started.

For details and application, please kindly visit HKJC ILCM website at www.hkjcilcm.hk

Debriefing Skills for Simulation Instructors Course (DSSIC)
This newly developed DSSIC aims to provide the essential knowledge and skills to develop learners’ competence in debriefing methods commonly used in simulation training courses. This course is suitable for those who wish to learn more about simulation-based learning and to apply the techniques of debriefing and feedback as a tool in teaching adult learners.

DSSIC is a two-day course and will be held at HKJC ILCM on the dates listed above. The primary audience is healthcare professionals who would like to start simulation-based teaching in their field.

For details and application, please kindly visit HKJC ILCM website at www.hkjcilcm.hk

Advanced Simulation Training in Mechanical Ventilation (ASTiM2)
HKJC ILCM has newly developed the ASTiM, in collaboration with Hong Kong Society of Critical Care Medicine (HKSCCM) and Hong Kong College of Critical Care Nursing (HKCCCN), aiming at enhancing knowledge and skills in “Advanced Mechanical Ventilation” through interactive learning activities and hands on simulation training workshops with advanced respiratory ventilator.

ASTiM is a one-day course which will be held at HKJC ILCM on the dates listed above. The primary audience is healthcare professionals taking care of patients requiring mechanical ventilation; while those not in this specialty are also welcomed.

Cost Fee for ASTiM: HK$4,000 (HK$3,200 for HA members)

Applications may need to go through a selection process.

For details and application, please kindly visit HKJC ILCM website at www.hkjcilcm.hk

Free Short Course on “Emergency Risk Communication in Disaster and Humanitarian Crisis” is Now Open for Application

The free short course “Emergency Risk Communication in Disaster and Humanitarian Crisis” (29 April – 1 June 2019, classes are on Monday evenings and Saturday mornings) is organised by JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, the Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC) of the CUHK and the HKJCDPRI.

Course description: In a crisis, every word counts. The need to communicate risks as accurate as possible in a timely manner arises as much from public expectation as professional need. This course offers theoretical and practical framework of effective advocacy and emergency risk communication, and covers case studies ranging from outbreaks to natural disasters.

For registration and other details, please go onto the course website here.
Deadline for application: 8 April 2019

For further enquiries, please contact Dr. Tony Yung (Email: [email protected] Tel: (852) 2252 8468).

To facilitate more efficient payment procedures, the Academy has started to provide credit card online payment service since January 2018. Now, Fellows can save time and settle HKAM Fellowship annual subscription effortlessly, conveniently and quickly through online payment on the iCMECPD website.

What are the benefits?

• Save time and postage cost
• Settle the annual subscription anytime, anywhere by using computer or mobile devices
• Ensure your subscription can be settled on-time without delay
• Payment history and e-receipt are available anytime
• Go paperless to help the environment and reduce paperwork

How to get started?

Fellows can log into iCMECPD (https://www.icmecpd.hk/) and choose “Annual Subscription” under “Fellow’s Area” in the main menu to settle the payment.

Click HERE to read the quick user guide

Fellows can log into iCMECPD (User's Corner > Receipt for Annual Subscription) to view and print their Annual Subscription receipts online (e-receipts for subscription from 2017 are available). To reduce environmental impact, Fellows can indicate their preference in the debit note on whether to receive official receipt by post while settling the payment by cheque or Dah Sing HKAM Platinum Card.

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.

iCMECPD App

Latest articles available at www.hkmj.org:

Editorial – Healthcare for Society
“Healthcare for Society”—a column featuring outstanding community contributions For the past six and a half years, the “Doctor for Society” section has been a regular feature in the Hong Kong Medical Journal. The section showcases interviews with hard-working medical professionals who dedicate time and effort to volunteer activities. These individuals serve as an inspiration to all medical professionals, especially the younger generation, and the interviews are conducted by students attending medical school in Hong Kong. To expand the scope of this popular section—to include not only doctors, but all healthcare professionals—from this issue the section will be renamed to “Healthcare for Society”. The very first interview in the newly titled “Healthcare for Society” section is with Prof Kwok-yung Yuen, the Sir David Todd Orator of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine in 2018, and a substantial contributor to our community. You can read the interview ‘Professor Kwok-yung Yuen: Embracing life with a beginner’s heart’ here. Hong Kong Med J 2019 Feb;25(1):4-5	Image: HKMJ; CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Medical Practice
Update on the Hong Kong Reference Framework for Hypertension Care for Adults in Primary Care Settings—review of evidence on the definition of high blood pressure and goal of therapy In 2017, the United States adopted a revised hypertension definition for lower blood pressure values of 130/80 mm Hg, in contrast to the international consensus of 140/90 mm Hg. After thorough review of the literature and international guidelines, the Hong Kong Reference Framework for Care of Diabetes and Hypertension in Primary Care Settings has been updated. Hong Kong Med J 2019 Feb;25(1):64-67 | Epub 3 Jan 2019	Image: PCO
CME   Medical Practice
Antibiotic management of acute pharyngitis in primary care Acute pharyngitis is one of the most common out-patient conditions in primary care in Hong Kong. Practical recommendations on the diagnosis and antibiotic treatment of acute streptococcal pharyngitis are made by the Advisory Group on Antibiotic Stewardship Programme in Primary Care (Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health) based on the best available clinical evidence, local prevalence of pathogens and associated antibiotic susceptibility profiles, and common local practice. Hong Kong Med J 2019 Feb;25(1):58-63	Image: CHP
CME   Review Article
Update on the association between dry eye disease and meibomian gland dysfunction Dry eye disease is a common ophthalmic complaints. Dry eye disease and meibomian gland dysfunction are strongly associated with each other; many of their risk factors, signs, and symptoms overlap. This article by Dr Tommy CY Chan et al reviews the current literature on dry eye disease and meibomian gland dysfunction, as well as the relationships between the two conditions. Current treatment options are described and discussed. Hong Kong Med J 2019 Feb;25(1):38-47
Volume 25 Issue 1 Supplement 1, 2019 24th Medical Research Conference Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Abstracts for the 24th Medical Research Conference, the annual research conference of the Department of Medicine. The Conference provides a venue for sharing the research outputs of the Department, for encouraging collaborations among attendees, and for honing the presentation skills of trainees and students.
Volume 25 Issue 1 Supplement 2, 2019 Health and Health Services Research Fund Health and Medical Research Fund Research Dissemination Reports Dissemination reports are concise informative reports of health-related research supported by the Health and Medical Research Fund (and its predecessor funds) administered by the Food and Health Bureau. In this edition, we present nine dissemination reports of projects related to mental health, sleep medicine, and physical activity. In particular, three projects are highlighted for their potentially significant findings, impact on healthcare delivery and practice, and/or contribution to health policy formulation in Hong Kong.

The Academy organised the Evening Seminar on “Challenges to Attain Global Health Equity” on 10 January 2019, gathering experts to discuss the challenges of global health equity from a territory-wide level to an individual physician level, and its association with rapid climate change and disaster preparedness. Apart from delivering presentations, speakers including Dr. Kim Yu, Dr. William Wong and Honorary Treasurer Dr. Y.F. Chow also joined a panel discussion with Prof. Keiji Fukuda and Legislative Councillor the Honourable Joseph Lee, moderated by President of WONCA and Immediate Past President of the Academy Dr. Donald Li. Vice- President (General Affairs) Dr. C.C. Lau concluded the seminar. The seminar attracted more than 50 participants.

The Symposium, jointly organised by the Academy and the Department of Health, was successfully held in January gathering over 400 healthcare professionals and operators of private healthcare facilities. The Symposium featured presentations on safety-related legislation, as well as updates on Private Healthcare Facilities Ordinance and the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme.

President Prof. C.S. Lau and Vice-President (Education and Examinations) Prof. Gilberto Leung officiated at the opening ceremony with the Director of Health Dr. Constance Chan and other distinguished guests.

Smoke-free Run, 13 January

President Prof. C.S. Lau joined other anti-smoking partners at the Award Presentation Ceremony of the run organised by the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health in Hong Kong Science Park. The run promoted healthy lifestyle with no smoking. A team of 4 Academy Secretariat staff won the 3rd runner-up at the 3km race.

Diocesan School Old Boys’ Association Medical & Healthcare Chapter 2019 Dinner with Diocesan Old Girls’ Association, 17 January

President Prof. C.S. Lau joined over 240 alumni of the Diocesan Boys’ School (DBS) and Diocesan Girls’ School (DGS), who are medical and healthcare professionals / undergraduates, in a dinner gathering. The annual event celebrated the 150th Anniversary of the DBS and highlighted the work done by the Chapter.

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.

Further details will be announced closer to the scheduled dates.   
Please stay tuned to the membership eblast or check our website for the updates.

Online reservation is available now! Please click here to book a table.
For enquiries, please call (852) 2871 8832.
Schedule of activities for the remaining months of 2019 will be announced in due course.

The Academy offers a wide range of venues suitable for meetings, conferences and your special occasions of different scales. Onsite logistical and technical support, event planning as well as catering services are also available. Please click here for details or enquiry.

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.

Fellows can now get free birthday desserts for organising lunch or dinner parties at the Academy Lounge. Each Fellow would be entitled to this offer once during his / her birthday month every year.

Chinese menu: Chinese birthday buns for up to 6 tables of 10-12 guests each

Enjoy fresh Spring air and BBQ buffet at the Academy Fellows’ Garden! Our chefs will grill hearty meats and seafood skewers at our outdoor BBQ counter in the Fellows’ Garden. The indoor buffet stations will feature a tasty assortment of starters and main courses. A wide selection of luscious desserts will be prepared to complete the feast.

Menu

Enjoy the hotel’s opening corporate dining offers by presenting a valid Fellowship card at the beginning of meal. Advance booking is required. 

Blocked out dates: 5-7, 14 February and 19-22 April 2019

Maximum party of 12 person(s) per reservation can enjoy the above offers.

*Offers apply before 10% service charge

For details / reservations, please call (852) 3555 1688.

Enjoy 15% off a la carte lunch and dinner by presenting a valid Fellowship card at the beginning of meal for a maximum party of 10 person(s) per reservation until further notice. Advance booking is required. Please click here for details.

Offers are valid for individual travelers only and are not applicable for groups related room blocks or meetings / conferences. Hotels could be contacted directly to enquire about rate details. When making reservations, please quote “Hong Kong Academy of Medicine” and attach a copy of your Fellowship card.

The Fundamental Disaster Response Course (FDRC) 2019 is organised by the Disaster Medicine Subcommittee (DiMSc) of the Hong Kong College of Emergency Medicine (HKCEM) for the Hong Kong Jockey Club Disaster Preparedness and Response Institute (HKJCDPRI).

The Key learning objectives include: overview and framework of disaster response, issues on overseas Emergency Medical Teams (EMT), WHO’s specification on EMT, patterns of medical issues in different disaster types, health surveillance in disaster, scene security, psychosocial issue, experience sharing, etc.

The FDRC 2019 will be a 4-day course and be conducted on 16 March, 13 April, 25 May and 22 June 2019.

For more information and registration, please click here or visit http://disaster.com.hk/fdrc-2019/

The Health Research Symposium 2019, organised by the Food and Health Bureau, with the central theme of Genomics and Big Data in Health and Disease is now open for registration.

Date:   12 June 2019 (Wednesday)
Time:   9am – 5:20pm
Venue: Hong Kong Academy of Medicine Jockey Club Building, 99 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Hong Kong

The Symposium serves to foster excellence in health policy research with a view to mitigating the negative impact of emerging health threats through knowledge transfer and synergies of collaborative efforts; promulgate evidence-based practices and disseminate findings of projects supported by the Bureau to the wider community; and facilitate networking among academics and community leaders and advocates from various sectors for improving the health of the population.

• Tentative programme
• Registration form

To facilitate the public to search for primary care providers in the community, the Department of Health launched the Primary Care Directory (the Directory) in 2011, which is a web-based electronic database containing practice information and professional qualification of enrolled doctors, dentists and Chinese medicine practitioners. Doctors listed in the Directory are eligible for enrolment in the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme and the Pilot Public-Private Partnership Programme on Smoking Cessation; as well as for joining the network of the upcoming Kwai Tsing District Health Centre to be set up by the Government. To maintain listing in the Directory, doctors have to fulfill the continuing medical education (CME) requirements. For details, please click here and visit the website of the Directory.

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

• Ipilimumab: reports of cytomegalovirus (CMV) gastrointestinal infection or reactivation
• Tapentadol: risk of seizures and reports of serotonin syndrome when co-administered with other medicines
• No new patients should start treatment with Lartruvo after study shows cancer medicine does not prolong life in the European Union

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

• eHealth News (English | Chinese)