Promotion of Hand Hygiene
Just like the old saying, "prevention is better than cure", the best prevention begins with simple actions such as hand hygiene.
For the convenience of patients and visitors, alcohol-based hand rub dispensers are available in most public areas of the Hospital. Pocket-sized hand rubs are also available to all healthcare personnel and inpatients upon admission.
Hand-washing guidelines are strictly enforced in most patient areas. Hospital-wide posters remind healthcare personnel of the correct step-by-step procedures, and regular audits are conducted to assess hand hygiene practices.
Isolation Facilities
Stringent infection control measures begin as soon as patients suspected of or confirmed as having an airborne/droplet infection are admitted to the Hospital. They will be transferred to different wards with enhanced infection control facilities to minimise cross infection inside the Hospital's premises.
We have three types of isolation rooms of various sizes and with special features for patients:
- Airborne Isolation Rooms (AIR): 21/F (adults) & 26/F (paediatrics) with negative pressure rooms and sufficient air exchange
- Single rooms with individual bathrooms: 36/F (adults), 37/F (adults), 26/F (paediatrics), 31/F (negative pressure), 32/F (negative pressure), 33/F (adults)
- Single rooms with shared bathroom: 26/F (paediatrics), 31/F & 32/F
Facilities:
- Negative Pressure Air Extraction System. Air pressure is maintained at its highest outside the anterior room and its lowest in the toilet of the isolation room. Unidirectional air flow ensures one-way passage of all air-borne pathogens, thereby minimising the risk of further infections within the Hospital's premises.
- Air Outlets with Ultraviolet Lamps. Airborne pathogens from patients coughing and sneezing are rapidly removed and disinfected by UV lamps.
- Double Door Design. Each airborne isolation room has an anterior room with two doors. These doors cannot be opened at the same time, which helps to prevent pathogen-carrying air from leaving the isolation room. To open a door with minimal infection risk, medical personnel wave their hands in front of the sensors without touching the switch pad.
- Window Setting. Isolation rooms are equipped with windows so that patients can distinguish between day and night. This is particularly important for elderly patients who might otherwise become disoriented.
- Video Communication. Patients can converse with their visitors in another room via a video communication system.
- Other Facilities. Each isolation room has a private lavatory and shower room, telephone, nurse call, a touch-screen IE Buddy with access to the internet, hospital information and TV entertainment (local TV channels, Now TV & satellite TV).
Movable Partitions for Enhanced Protection
Hong Kong’s first ceiling-height movable partitions have been installed in the general wards of the Hospital to maintain patient privacy and, more importantly, minimise cross infection.