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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
A Hospital Authority (HA) spokesman said today (July 6) that HA received notification from GE Healthcare (GEHC) yesterday recommending to cease the use of GE Nuclear Medicine System (the System) until GEHC completed an inspection of the System.
According to the spokesman, the alert concerns about the risk of the loosen parts of the System which might harm patients when in use. The System provides a range of nuclear medicine investigations, such as bone scan, thallium scan and thyroid scan. There are six public hospitals including Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Queen Mary Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital, Prince of Wales Hospital and North District Hospital installing the System.
HA has arranged a contingent measure that similar systems provided by other suppliers will be used as an alternative for patients requiring urgent investigation. For non-urgent cases, other imaging modality would be utilised as far as feasible. Otherwise, the hospital will inform patients if change of appointment dates or re-scheduling is needed.
HA will continue to follow up closely with GEHC on the necessary actions to ensure service provision and patient safety.
Ends/Saturday, July 6, 2013
Issued at HKT 20:52
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