A patient in the Eastern Hospital's A&E department died in a disabled toilet in the waiting area. This is the fourth case of a patient "waiting to death" in an A&E within three years, which reflects the serious shortage of medical services in public hospitals. The authorities should draw a lesson from the incident to review the current procedures, make improvements as soon as possible and fully introduce new technology to monitor the conditions of patients to avoid similar tragedies. Measures focused but not forceful Public hospital A&Es have always been overcrowded with patients often waiting for several hours to see a doctor. Earlier, a 58-year-old woman went to the Eastern Hospital's A&E late at night due to fever and cough. Having waited for 12 hours, she saw a doctor and was told to wait for further examination. But she died after being found unconscious in the disabled toilet five hours later. The incident drew heated debate. Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau expressed regret, saying that the incident had been submitted to the Coroner's Court for follow-up, and improvements would be made based on investigation results. It is extremely ironic that several patients in A&Es "waited to death". Even though the hospital claimed to have followed procedures, pointing out that the deceased was initially assessed as a semi-urgent (Triage 4) category with stable condition. She was asked to wait for further examination, but no one responded when the staff called through the announcement system twice. As she was not high-risk, and patients leave the hospital on their own every day, the nurse did not look for her in the waiting area or gave her a call. The problem is that the patient had waited for more than half a day, so there was no reason to get impatient. In addition, after waiting for more than ten hours, the patient's condition may suddenly deteriorate. The incident reflects that the medical staff are not alert enough. Even when they are busy, don't they have the time to make one or two calls to the patient or ask someone else to do it for them? The Hospital Authority (HA) should review and improve the current emergency admission procedures especially when there have been four cases of a patient "waiting to death" in three years. Three of them died suddenly while waiting to see a doctor or be admitted to the ward. There must be no more delays. The HA announced a series of measures last night, such as stepping up inspections in the waiting area and providing immediate assistance to extreme conditions. After treatment, patients with higher risks will be kept close to medical staff. Toilet inspections have been increased from seven times a day to once an hour. Sensors are being installed in the disabled toilets of some emergency departments. When someone falls or remains motionless for a period of time in the toilet, the system will send out an alert. In the third quarter, a pilot patient location system will be introduced in some A&Es. These measures can be descr ibed as "the r ight prescription" of using new technology to monitor patients, but they are somewhat cautiously, rather than fully, implemented. A passenger died in the disabled toilet of the MTR Hung Hom Station last year only to be discovered six hours later. The company did not hesitate to pledge installing motion sensors in 90 disabled toilets along all its lines within three months to prevent a similar incident. The HA, however, has resources but lacks manpower. The introduction of new monitoring facilities can relieve manpower pressure. So, why can't the installation of sensors be completed in one go? Is it waiting to see the effects before making a decision, or are there other considerations? Don't abuse A&E to ease pressure Patients visiting A&Es in foreign countries have been wearing radio frequency identification (RFID) or smart wristbands, which can track their locations in the hospital or even monitor their vital signs to alert medical staff for followup. In 2020, after a patient "waited to death" in the A&E of the Prince of Wales Hospital, smart devices would be introduced, but it was not until after this incident that a trial period was scheduled, conditionally covering only some emergency departments. The locator will be issued to a suitable patient who agrees to wear it. What are the authorities worried about? Is it the privacy violation or the high cost of a locator? The authorities should offer an explanation. In the short term, new technology can improve patient safety, but it still cannot solve A&E overcrowded conditions. In the medium and long terms, action must be taken in two aspects. Firstly, publicity and education must be stepped up to stop abuse of A&Es. Many citizens visit the departments for convenience and low fees of only $180, cheaper than private clinics. So, whether it is a weekday or holiday, they still go to the A&E even with a fever or cough. As a result, emergency rooms are often flooded with non-urgent or semiurgent patients, which prevents those who are in real need from receiving early treatment. To reduce the load, citizens should exercise self-discipline to seek medical treatment in private, government general outpatient or night clinics. Secondly, more effort is needed in importing healthcare staff from overseas and the Greater Bay Area to fill local vacancies. Hospitals have the responsibility to provide a safe environment and proper care for patients. The HA must resolutely improve the hardware of A&Es as soon as possible while healthcare staff must also raise their safety awareness to truly protect the public. 翻譯自4月20日《星島日報》社論 （http://std.stheadline.com/） 智利國會早前通過政府極力推動的法案，將 每周工時從45小時逐步減至40小時，讓總統博里 奇（Gabriel Boric）在支持度下滑之際取得立法勝利。 法案在國會以壓倒性1票數通過，127人贊 成，只有14人反對。新法規定每年必須將每周 工時減少1小時，直到每周工時達至40小時，屆 時智利將躋身工業化程度最高的國家之列。 智利數家公司已宣布會採用新規定，包括 智利國營銅礦公司（Codelco），這家銅礦巨擘2 今年較早前表示，會試圖在2026 年前將每周工時減至40小時。然 而，有一些小型企業批評新法， 稱他們沒有足夠資源聘請更多員 工來維持同樣的工作結果。 ironic (adj) —— 諷刺的 conditionally (adv) —— 有條件地 deceased (adj) ——去世的 locator (n) —— 定位器 ward (n) —— 病房 publicity (n) —— 宣傳 sensor (n) —— 感應器 self-discipline (n) —— 自律 semi-urgent (Triage 4) category —— 第4級次緊急類別 radio frequency identification —— 無綫射頻辨識 vital sign —— 維生指數 privacy violation —— 侵犯私隱 Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau said patients waiting for as long as 12 hours at a public A&E department is not ideal, but he assured that public hospitals are still capable of handling a surge in patients amid the peak of the flu season. He urged patients to first visit the general outpatient clinics or private clinics to help shorten the waiting time for patients who need urgent care. 1. The word _____ in the first paragraph is the opposite of "covers up". 2. An incident of a patient "waiting to death" in an A&E department drew _____ debate. 3. In the passage, the word ____________ means "work or pressure". 4. Smart location systems will be _____ implemented only in some emergency departments. 5. According to the last paragraph, healthcare staff must raise their safety _____ to truly protect the public. Answers 1. reflects 2. heated / serious 3. load 4. conditionally 5. awareness & Q A Vocabulary Useful Terms Did you know? 瀏覽「讀報學中文」網上版及重溫昔日學習篇 章，請登入「星島教育網」：http://goo.gl/Z20ySe 讀報學中文 New monitoring system to prevent "waiting to death" 讀社論學 英文 翻譯︰George 智利國會通過法案 每周45工時漸減至40 字詞解釋 1 壓倒性：具絕對優勢。 2 巨擘：本指大拇指，後用以比喻為傑出的人 才、數一數二的領先者。 延伸閱讀 《史記．老子韓非列傳》 近年不少國家都關注僱員每周的工作日與 時數，務求提升工作效率，同時不危害僱員 身心健康。這邊廂人們在討論怎樣工作才最高 效，回到古時的那邊廂，卻有人有「荀工」找上 門也寧願「躺平」不工作呢！ 戰國時期，楚威王聽聞莊周賢能，於是派遣 使臣帶着千金去請他來做丞相。這可說是天賜良 機，當時楚國強大，疆域規模之大達到了前所未有 的程度。莊子能獲楚威王賞識，可謂馬上能平步 青雲。 可是，一生追求逍遙快活的莊子微笑拒絕 了，並把丞相之位比作「郊祭之犧牛」（入太 廟將為祭品的犧牛），擔心被「養食之數歲， 衣以文繡」，最終只是「以入大廟」。他還讓 使臣快走，「無（玷）污我」，他「寧游戲污瀆 之中自快，無為有國者所羈」，並決定終身 不做官，以讓自己心志快樂。對莊子來說，「無 用」才能頤養天年，不用為前途名利這些不可強 求、強保的俗事憂心忡忡。 莊子此行為並非清高，也非看不起楚威王 的能力，而是他不願受任何束縛。 D8 侷芎 01.18.2024 星期四 / ( .+ ᾂ Ὢ― ᾟ‧ଵᯭ 㜬ໂ ࢢೌ 㶊က㐋 ⠬⠠ӧ௲㜬㨩ǭծ⯴ ߇ 㜬㨩⬯⪧༫◜㜬≐ ⦿ୱ⩍㶗㜬ໂ㨩⬯⪧༫◜ࢢೌ ⦿ୱ⬯⪧⪏⮀༫◜‰⨤ᘲጬ ⦿ୱ ݑ ◜༫◜‰⨤ᘲጬ ថ⁾ᵷᵌဋnjថუፖnjԲ̈௫១უፖnjড়Ὀᩕഞᣧnjថེែnj២ ᄞnjΛᓠnj១ીnj១ថҘnj⁾ᵷ፶njः១፶nj ߜ ១፶▪ᓽ ଧડટડ១ᅉnjጸ፟njឤ᠍ժ۸ጮጲ▪ᓽ"݇nj#݇nj$݇ ᅉnj៙ ߜ njឭឃnjᑖԠnj፶nj២ᔌ྆▪ᭃѕᆌ១Ἆ 5*.05): 80/( . % Board Certified in Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine 㪞㈾勋 劽 ۂ ⏈勋 㡷ᶛᶒⅧࣔ؟⎩ ⊣ ጫ 接受各種醫療保險，無保險者特價優惠 ˷ ᦕ 〃₶ᒪ㞣䠽ൃඤˍ᠗̎˓Է˾᠗˔Էћ ൃඤћ˓Է˾᠗˔Է˒▪ൃඤപ͑ી ುᆸⓊ ⓥ ࡎ 㐧ᐾঀ 腸外科 女西醫㠧➱ό &NJMZ - $IBO . % '"$4 '"4$34 ⦿ୱᯋೌ㭴ೳໂ㜬ໂࢢೌ ⦿ୱ೩◜࣪ೳ⬯༫◜㨩ೌ ࣪‰⨤ᘲጬ#PBSE $FSUJGJFE 4VSHFPO ໋ ⥸ໞ⚁㫟 ℀nj⡼㞔ᨇ⺍₶Ձ⏋ 專用無痛手術和非手術西藥治療結腸鏡檢查(Colonoscopy) 結腸癌大小手術, 很多手術就在本診室施行 請電話預約 / - *+ 新 地址：華埠伊利沙伯街53號4樓4B室 電話： 六天開診 週三休息 ! 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