Hong Kong allows inpatients to use Chinese Medicie

[Guest guest]

Thought I'd share this with you:

 

Yesterday TV news reported that three major HK hospitals, including Kwong

Wah Hospital, will allow their inpatients to choose Chinese medicine as a

treatment. The hospitals have doctors and dispensaries to cope with the

demand.

Before, there were outpatient clinics, but this is the first time patients

will be able to use Chinese medicine in the clinic. A positive development,

perhaps the direction the West should also make?

 

Interesting to note is that HK people both use Chinese and western medicine

for different illnesses. Here's an interesting report documenting what HK

people think about Chinese and western medicine. http://jech.bmjjournals

com/cgi/content/full/55/10/762

 

 

Strengths and weaknesses of traditional Chinese medicine and Western

medicine in the eyes of some Hong Kong Chinese

T P Lam

 

ABSTRACT:

 

OBJECTIVETo explore the attitudes of Hong Kong Chinese towards the strengths

and weaknesses of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine.

DESIGNQualitative study of subjects' opinions using semi-structured focus

group interviews.

SETTINGSouthern district of Hong Kong Island where many of the residents

have a fisherman background.

PARTICIPANTSTwenty nine participants took part in eight focus group

interviews. Measurements and main resultsParticipants' attitudes towards TCM

and Western medicine were explored in the interviews. Both TCM and Western

medicine are used concurrently by many people in Hong Kong. Patients make

decisions on which type of doctors they want to see for the specific

illnesses that they are suffering from. They consider both types of

medicines to have strengths and weaknesses: TCM being better in curing the

root of the problem but quite slow in action while Western medicine is more

powerful but sometimes too powerful with significant side effects.

CONCLUSIONSIt is important for medical practitioners to be aware of the

health attitudes of their patients from different ethnic backgrounds. It

will lead to a better patient-doctor relationship and better compliance of

treatment.

(J Epidemiol Community Health 2001;55:762-765)

 

 

In my experience, this seems to be the consensus on the mainland as well: CM

treats the root, is slower. WM is faster but with more side-effects.

 

Of course people from HK and the mainland have their history with Chinese

medicine. This does not exist in the west, so probably there's a huge need

for PR work until western people will know all the strengths and weaknesses

of CM as compared with WM.

 

Regards

 

Tom.