CUHK Medical Centre
CUHK Medical Centre is a non-profit, private teaching hospital located on the campus of the Chinese University of Hong Kong in Ma Liu Shui, Sha Tin District, New Territories, Hong Kong. It is the first hospital in Hong Kong to be developed as a "smart hospital", integrating advanced digital technologies across patient care and hospital operations. The hospital officially commenced operations with limited services on 6 January 2021.
History
Background
In his 2008 Policy Address, then Chief Executive of Hong Kong Donald Tsang announced that the Government of Hong Kong was identifying sites for the development of new private hospitals.In December 2009, the government invited expressions of interest for hospital development on plots located in Wong Chuk Hang, Tseung Kwan O, Tai Po, and Lantau Island.
In March 2010, the Chinese University of Hong Kong submitted a non-committal expression of interest for the Tai Po site. Although the university later developed a detailed proposal, it withdrew from the tender process in 2012, citing a lack of consensus with its potential partner regarding terms of collaboration.
Subsequently, CUHK initiated plans to construct a non-profit teaching hospital on its own campus in Ma Liu Shui. A formal proposal was submitted to the government in 2014.
Funding
On 21 August 2014, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust donated HK$1.3 billion to support the construction of the new hospital. In recognition of this contribution, one of the clinical blocks was named in honour of the Jockey Club.The Government of Hong Kong also provided financial support in the form of a loan totalling HK$4.033 billion. The first tranche of the loan was disbursed on 20 March 2017.
Planning, Design and Construction
The site of the CUHK Medical Centre was formed in the early 1980s through land reclamation, as part of the development associated with the construction of the Tolo Highway. The site remained undeveloped for several decades. In CUHK’s 2010 campus master plan, the plot was proposed for use as an academic building and conference centre.Preliminary architectural design was led by Australian firm BVN Architecture, in collaboration with the Architectural Design and Research Institute. Project management was provided by Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong. China State Construction International served as the main contractor, with Wong & Ouyang responsible for the structural design and J. Roger Preston Limited providing electrical and mechanical consultancy services.
Construction of the CUHK Medical Centre officially began with a groundbreaking ceremony held on 8 December 2016.
The project faced multiple delays during its development. On 18 June 2019, a fire broke out at the construction site, damaging mechanical and electrical equipment. Later that year, the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests—including the Siege of the Chinese University of Hong Kong—disrupted access to the campus and surrounding roads. Further delays occurred in early 2020 due to supply chain disruptions caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The hospital commenced operations with limited services on 6 January 2021.
Facilities
The CUHK Medical Centre consists of a 14-storey hospital building with a total construction floor area of approximately. The facility is organised into several interconnected tower blocks surrounding two interior courtyards.The hospital provides three tiers of patient accommodation:
- Four-bed wards
- Double rooms
- Single rooms
Services
The CUHK Medical Centre provides :- Inpatient beds: 516
- Day beds: 103
- Operating theatres: 28
- Consultation rooms: 49
- Specialist medical centres: 16
- Emergency Outpatient services: 24-hour operation
As of March 2024, CUHK Medical Centre offers all-inclusive package pricing for 763 day and inpatient procedures. The pricing model aims to improve transparency and predictability for patients.
As part of its public service commitment, CUHKMC accepts specialist outpatient and day surgery cases referred by the Hospital Authority, with patients charged at rates comparable to those at public hospitals.