The Academy is conducting a survey in collaboration with the School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of The University of Hong Kong. The survey is commissioned by Food and Health Bureau which aims to project the demand-supply gap for different healthcare professions in Hong Kong. Manpower of different specialties is one of the areas covered in the survey.

All Fellows based in Hong Kong should have received an invitation by post to participate in the survey. It is hoped to receive as many questionnaires as possible in order to collect adequate data and produce more accurate findings for the survey. Please be reminded to return the questionnaires if you have not done so yet.

The Phase II works of major maintenance and repair works on the external walls of the Academy building are being carried out. For safety reasons, the Fellows’ Garden on 3/F is now closed until further notice. The Academy will try best to make sure events held at the building would be affected as minimal as possible.

Taking into consideration the recent development of novel coronavirus, we will be closing the 2/F Dining Room early from 17 February 2020 until further notice. Details are listed as follows:

Less variety of food items will be available for takeaway order with dine-in services temporarily suspended.

The Academy Lounge on 3/F will remain open for Fellows during regular hours of operation.

We will continue to monitor the situation closely and review the service hours accordingly. Thank you for your understanding and apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Demand notes for the 2020 subscriptions have been sent to Fellows in January 2020. Fellows are strongly advised to settle the payment online through iCMECPD or by cheque so soon as possible.

Reminders:

1. Fellows are required to make payment of annual subscription on or before 30 June 2020. A surcharge of $1,000 or pro-rated rate where applicable will be levied for overdue payment.
   
2. All payments must be received before 30 September 2020.
   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.
   
3. The due annual subscription will be debited automatically from the designated bank or credit card account.
   
4. For Fellows aged over 70 or have reached the age of 70 before 31 December 2019, annual subscription will be waived.
   
5. Fellows residing outside Hong Kong or have reached the age of 65 and have retired from all remunerative practice/job/business must submit formal written applications for reduced rates before 31 December,2019. For details, please visit http://www.hkam.org.hk/fellows_area/reduced_rate.pdf.

Credit card online payment service

Online payment service makes your settlement of annual subscription easier and more flexible. Fellows can log-on to iCMECPD website (https://www.icmecpd.hk/), choose "Fellows’ Area" > "Annual Subscription" and follow the instructions to make the payment. Click here for the Quick User Guide.

e-Receipt
Fellows, who have paid annual subscription, can view and print the e-receipt by logging into iCMECPD website (“User's Corner” > “Receipt for Annual Subscription”). To help save the environment, Fellows may register for e-receipt instead of receiving a hard copy by post upon receipt of the demand notes.

A revised set of CME / CPD Guidelines has been approved and will become effective from the next cycle. Minor changes are in Section 10, in which the new Guidelines reflect the new requirement from Medical Council of Hong Kong for the Academy to provide information on CME / CPD of all Fellows after the end of cycle (instead of providing the information on those non-compliance cases only in the past). Fellows can download the new guidelines from the following link:

Revised Principles and Guidelines on CME/CPD

Please visit the CMe-Learning of iCMECPD website (www.icmecpd.hk) for the latest CME / CPD materials.

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

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.

The Academy is organising the 6^th MEC on 30 May 2020, with the theme “Assessment in Postgraduate Medical Education". The one-day conference features plenary lectures, symposia and workshops which will be delivered by renowned local and overseas medical professionals. Programme details can be found on the conference website https://online.hkam.org.hk/mec2020/.

Click here to register now. For enquiries, please contact the MEC 2020 Secretariat via email at [email protected].

The Academy supports the symposium, titled “Novel Strategies for The Treatment of Neurologic Disorders”, which is organised by the Stanford University School of Medicine on 9 May 2020.

Speakers will include representatives of distinguished faculties and experts in Neurosurgery, Neurology, Radiation Oncology and Radiology from Stanford University. The symposium will also feature case presentations with inputs from local experts.

• Programme

For registration, please click here.

Latest articles available at www.hkmj.org

Association between beta-blocker use and obesity in Hong Kong Chinese elders: a post-hoc analysis
Beta-blocker use is associated with weight gain in Caucasian populations. In this retrospective study, KL Leung et al investigated whether a similar trend exists in a Chinese population. The authors recommend that healthcare professionals carefully assess body mass index, blood pressure, and other baseline characteristics before prescribing a beta-blocker, and regularly monitor these parameters during treatment for hypertension.

Hong Kong Med J 2020;26:Epub 22 Jan 2020

Second tier non-invasive prenatal testing in a regional prenatal diagnosis service unit: a retrospective analysis and literature review
In December 2019, the Hong Kong Hospital Authority introduced a new screening algorithm for Down syndrome that includes second tier non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). For all pregnant women who screen positive or high-risk, NIPT is offered free of charge as an alternative to conventional invasive testing. In this study, VKS Ng et al review the literature and retrospectively review their own patients and examine the factors associated with the choice between NIPT and conventional invasive testing.

Hong Kong Med J 2020;26:Epub 22 Jan 2020

Visual impairment and spectacles ownership among upper secondary school students in northwestern China
Myopia is prevalent in Asia, and is a particular problem among children in rural China. J Zhao et al investigated the prevalence of visual impairment, rate of spectacles ownership, and quality of spectacles among students attending academic or vocational upper secondary schools in rural northwestern China. The authors found that vision care for these individuals is inadequate, particularly among those who are poorer or whose parents are less well educated.

Hong Kong Med J 2020;26:Epub 6 Feb 2020

Age, sex, and disease status as determinants of skin hydration and transepidermal water loss among children with and without eczema
Skin hydration and transepidermal water loss can be used to assess eczema severity in adult patients. In this prospective study, Hon et al investigated the effect of age and sex on changes in skin hydration and transepidermal water loss in Chinese children with and without eczema.

Hong Kong Med J 2020;26:Epub 6 Feb 2020

Vice-President (Education & Examinations) Prof. Gilberto Leung and Council Members attended the Congress with the theme “Opioids in Pain Management - Challenges, Evidence-Based Practice and Guidelines” in Singapore, co-organised by the Academy of Medicine, Singapore (AMS) and the Academy of Medicine of Malaysia (AMM) . President of The Hong Kong College of Anaesthesiologists Prof. C.W. Cheung was invited to share the current status of opioid use for pain management in Hong Kong.

The Congress was held in conjunction with the AMS’s Induction Comitia and 24^th Gordon Arthur Ransome Oration, delivered by the Former Cabinet Minister of Singapore Mr. George Yeo.

Prof. Leung appraised the great achievements of the new fellows admitted by the AMS at its Induction Comitia. Some Presidents of the Academy Colleges were conferred Honorary Fellowship of AMS. The three academies also took the opportunity to update each other on their latest developments at the Joint Council Meeting.

Press Conference organised by Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health (COSH), 14 January 2020
Honorary Treasurer Dr. Y.F. Chow attended the press conference advocating “Raising Tobacco Tax Substantially to Achieve Tobacco Endgame”. Dr. Chow urged the Government to raise tobacco tax, strictly control the sale and promotion of all tobacco products, including traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes and heat-not-burn tobacco products for the sake of public health.

Online reservation is available now! You can scan the QR code or visit https://online.hkam.org.hk/yumcha to book a table.

Fellows can enjoy the offers below by presenting a valid Fellowship card.

• Marina Kitchen & Cafe and Pier Lounge & Bar, Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel
• LIS Café, L’hotel Island South
• Komune and TQM Taqueria, Ovolo Southside

• Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel
• L’hotel Island South
• Ovolo Southside

Please refer to the most recent eBlast on membership services for more details of these offers.

Enjoy glutinous rice with Chinese preserved meat in clay pot with your families and friends by placing takeaway order(s) with the Academy now.

• Order form

Place order(s) for discounted self pick-up takeaway meals from now till 31 March 2020.

• Order form

Parking at the Academy is available to facilitate collection of your orders.

A brand new corporate A5 notebook, which is priced $80/pc or $150/2 pcs, is now available.

Click here to place order(s) now as stock is limited, and check out our wide range of quality gifts and accessories.

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.

Anniversary, reunion and birthday offers
Celebrate your special moment or make your special gathering unforgettable by hosting a lunch or dinner at the Academy. Fellows can now get a free celebratory item when dining at our venues for such occasions. Terms and conditions apply.

Make a booking enquiry online now at
https://online.hkam.org.hk/form/BookingEnquiry !

The Academy is pleased to extend the use of Academy Lounge to the immediate family members of all our Fellows.

Fellows who are interested in applying a supplementary card, which is free of charge, for immediate family members may complete and return an application form to the Academy Secretariat. Application form and general conditions can be downloaded from the "Fellows" section of the Academy website.

Applications are processed in batches, and the normal lead time is one to two months. Once your application is approved, a card will be sent to you by post. For enquiries, please contact the Academy Secretariat at 2871 8888 or through email at [email protected].

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

• Ondansetron: small increased risk of oral clefts following use in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy

A video titled “Reminding Each Other to Keep Hands Clean at HOSPITAL” is recently produced by The Infection Control Branch of the Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health to promote hand hygiene.