FAQS
No. You can call us directly to arrange medical consultation. However, please check whether a general practitioner’s referral is required for claims under your medical insurance policy, if applicable.
Yes, you can choose a doctor. You may find information about our doctors on our website , or call us at 3651-8833 during office hours.
You can request copies of your medical record from the Hospital Authority. Details of application procedures at individual public hospitals are available on the authority’s website at www.ha.org.hk. Alternatively, you may fill out an authorization form at our Center so that we can file the request on your behalf.
Each patient at our Center is assigned a case coordinator who takes care of all administrative work for him/her during the treatment period.
The case coordinator will:
– Handle all paper work for you to save time obtaining medical reports and signatures for documents;
– Schedule appointments, such as medical consultations, check-ups and therapy sessions for you, and remind you of important things to note;
– Act as the communication bridge between the patient and the medical team and answer any queries.
You can contact him/her by telephoning 3651 8833 whenever you would like to change appointments or for any other matters.
TomoTherapy:
Head and neck cancer (brain tumours, scalp tumours, intracranial tumours, nasopharyngeal carcinoma and laryngeal cancer, etc.), lung cancer, trachea cancer, breast cancer, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, lymphoma, sarcoma, glioma, renal cancer, anal cancer, bladder cancer, parotid cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, mesothelioma, medulloblastoma, pediatric tumours, etc.
More information about TomoTherapy can be found on our webpage or from your doctor.
Possible side effects of TomoTherapy include hair loss, loss of appetite, dizziness, bleeding, general malaise, ecphysesis, and infertility.
Generally speaking, hospitalization is not needed for TomoTherapy operations. However, it depends on the patient’s condition and the doctor’s professional opinion.
After diagnosis and a decision to undergo TomoTherapy operation, a patient normally waits for about two weeks before the first therapy session. Your doctor will design a suitable treatment time for you. We strive to keep the waiting time as short as circumstances allow.
Depending on the conditions of individual patients, TomoTherapy can take several to tens of sessions. Each session can last from twenty minutes upwards.
As the length of a TomoTherapy cycle can range from several to tens of sessions, a tumour may move or shrink during this period. In response to this and in order to maximize the effectiveness of ongoing therapy, a second assessment will be conducted and any necessary adjustments to treatment will be made.
As a guide, the charges of some common treatments and services can be found in our leaflets. You will be given a full estimate and treatment plan after examination and will be advised of any proposed changes during the course of treatment. Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to ask your case coordinator or doctor.
Coverage varies with each insurance company. Please refer to your medical insurance policy or contact your insurer to confirm which treatment items are covered. You are also welcome to contact our staff on 3651 8623 with any questions or help regarding insurance claims.
Please contact our staff on 3651 8623.
Insurance
Patients are reminded to read their medical insurance policy carefully or contact the insurer directly to enquire about which treatment items are covered by their policy. Please also feel free to contact our staff on 3651 8623 should you have any questions or need any help regarding insurance claims.
Clarifications: The application of radiotherapy is not limited to patients with terminal cancer. In fact, there are different treatments tailor-made for different patients, and about half of them will receive radiotherapy. There are three major types of radiotherapy, including curative treatment, supplementary treatment and palliative treatment. The objective of curative treatment is to kill all cancer cells through radiotherapy (combining chemotherapy). The goal of supplementary treatment is to minimize the size of tumour to optimize the effect of surgery or to reduce the chance of recurrence after operation. For late-stage patients whose disease has already spread to other parts of the body, causing pain and bleeding in many cases, palliative treatment can help to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life. .
Clarification: Previous radiotherapy technology lacks precision and, due to large treatment areas, the process can easily damage the healthy tissues (e.g. salvia secreting cells) near the tumour. However, new advances in radiotherapy technology over the past 20 years, for instance the arc motion linear accelerator (Versa HD) at our centre, can help us monitor the slightest movements of patients (e.g. respiratory motions). This can minimize the impact of radiation beams on other organs and reduce side-effects.
Clarification: Apart from equipment, the timing, planning and personnel for treatment are also factors for consideration. Treating cancer is a race against time, and a patient risks serious deterioration and spreading of the disease if we delay treatment. The objective of our seamless treatment process design is to shorten wait times so as to commence radiotherapy within three days after diagnosis to optimize treatment effect.