Newsletter No. 98

Telemed Provides Health Care at a Distance Medical experts from Hong Kong, Beijing, and Europe meet face-to-face at Chinese Telemed '96 C lose to 1,000 medical experts from Hong Kong, Beijing, and Europe heard presentations an d watched live demonstrations of advanced operation techniques via the information super highway at the Chinese Telemed '96 Conference organized by the CUHK Faculty of Medicine on 14th November. Defined as 'providing health care at a distance', telemedicine has been put on the super highway to improve the quality of health care both within hospitals and i n areas previously lacking access to expert advice. During the conference, the Faculty o f Medicine at the Prince o f Wales Hospital and the General Hospital o f the Chinese People's Liberation Army i n Beijing were linked up with Telemed '96 in London, a major annual conference o n telemedicine i n Europe, marking the first real-time three-way telemedicine conference between Hong Kong, Beijing, and Europe. Live demonstrations o f endoscopic surgery, radiological images of a patient with head injury, and the laser treatment of a rare dermatological condition were transmitted from Hong Kong and observed by participants in all three places. The conference also saw the inauguration of the Hong Kong Telemedicine Association, an organization initiated by doctors from the University. Chair of the association, Prof. Magnus Hjelm, says the association will serve as a forum for the exchange of views on telemedicine with similar groups in other countries. Donation for Ginseng Studies T he University's Chinese Medicinal Material Research Centre receiveda donation of HK$400,000 from Mr. Peter H. C. Chiu last month to boost research on ginseng. Director of the centre Prof. Paul But disclosed that their research team have developed methods for the authentication and quality analysis of ginseng using chemical an d DNA-fingerprinting techniques. These methods can be used to differentiate genuine ginseng from adulterated versions, and Oriental ginseng from its American counterpart. Biological studies at the centre have also shown that ginseng has significant effects on the immune and cardiovascular systems. Mr. Peter H. C. Chiu and his family have been key figures in the local ginseng trade for over 40 year CIVIL SERVICE CAREERS EXHIBITION T his year's Civil Service Careers Exhibition took place on 13th and 14th November at the Sir Run Run Shaw Hall. Organized jointly by the Appointments Service ofthe University's Office of Student Affairs and the Civil Service Branch of the Government, the exhibition featured a wide range of career opportunities offered by 22 government departments. The Secretary for Civil Service Mr. W. K. Lam officiated at the opening ceremony. He said the government is looking for graduates with sharp analytical power and sound judgment. Job candidates are tested on their sensitivity to the needs of the community as well as their common sense in the face of challenges. Speaking on the same occasion, the University's vice-chancellor Prof. Arthur K. C. Li stressed the importance of language skills, the mastery of which has been a prerequisite for employment in the civil service. RESEARCH UPDATE T hree research projects undertaken by members of the University have recently attracted financial support to the tune of HK$1.34 million. They are: • Hong K on g Adult Vision Study �一 A Cross-Sectional Epide miological Study of Eye Diseasesin the 40-Years-of -Age -and-Over Populati on of Hong Kong CUHK investigators : Prof. John Michon and Dr. Joseph T. K. Lau Amount awarded: HK$479,550 Sponsor: The Health Services Research Fund • Domiciliary Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial CUHK investigators: Prof. Jean Woo, Dr. C. M. Lum, Dr. E. Hui, Prof. Roland C. C. Leung Amount awarded : HK$565,828 Sponsor: The Health Services Research Fund • The Creation off a Community-Oriented Preventive Eye-Care Programme, the Hong Kong Eye Care Net CUHK investigators : Dr. Vincent W. Lee, Prof. Guy H. Chan Amount awarded: HK$294,520 Sponsor: The Health Care and Promotion Fund Cruis e Alon g th eYangtz e Bring s Togethe r Medica l Educatio n Expert s M edical education experts from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan met officially for the first time at a conference held from 7th to 11th October on a cruise along the Yangtze Gorges i n China. The conference, officially called the 'Medical Education Conference for China, Taiwan and Hong Kong Regions', was initiated by Beijing Medical University, Taiwan Yang-Ming University, and the Faculty of Medicine of The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Specialists from 33 medical schools and hospitals on the mainland as well as representatives from the State Education Commission, the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council, and PRC's Ministry of Health attended the conference. There were discussions on medical education systems, curricula, postgraduate training, and the development of medical education in the 21st century in the three regions. It was agreed upon after the conference that the University's Faculty of Medicine will coordinate the establishment of an association for medical education for China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The association will be registered in Hong Kong to promote the development of medical education in the 21st century by strengthening ties between medical schools in the three regions. Navigators of medical education from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan meet on a liner to discuss new trends in their discipline