Matilda International Hospital

A history picture of Matilda International Hospital

Matilda International Hospital (明德國際醫院) is a hospital in Hong Kong located at 41 Mount Kellett Road, The Peak. The hospital was built as a result of the last will and testament of Granville Sharp, the husband of Matilda Lincolne Sharp. Granville Sharp was a highly successful banker descended from the well known Sharp family of Romsey, England, another member of which was Conversation Sharp.^[1]. Matilda Lincolne is thought by some to have been related to the US President's family.^[2]

History

Originally from the UK, the couple travelled a long way, encountering many adventures (including shipwreck) along their way, before arriving in Hong Kong.^{[clarification needed]}

The hospital admitted its first patients in 1907, at that time providing free care to mainly expatriates. The original building, which is still in use today, is outstandingly beautiful, as is the hospital's location on "the Peak" on Hong Kong Island.

In the past it was known as the Matilda Memorial & War Hospital, but nowadays, it has been renamed Matilda International Hospital, and is a not-for-profit hospital serving all the people of Hong Kong and the wider region. It provides four core services: maternity, orthopaedic, surgical, health assessment and health services. Its medical staff are among the highest earning doctors in the Pacific area.

The Matilda Medical Centre (MMC) was opened in the Central area of Hong Kong to mark the hospital's centenary celebration in 2007, and extend its quality^{[peacock term]} services to downtown Central serving many of its corporate clients.^{[citation needed]}

In Feb 2010 the state-of-the-art^{[peacock term]} new OT5 was opened to provide fully integrated system and facilities for mainly orthopaedic & spine surgeries.^{[citation needed]}

Matilda International Hospital used to be surveyed and accredited bi-annually by the Trent Accreditation Scheme of the United Kingdom, a major international healthcare accreditation group. In 2010 the Matilda decided to leave behind its British roots and instead to look towards the Australia Certificate of Healthcare Services (ACHS) scheme, becoming accredited by them in Dec 2010. The hospital has also adopted the ISO 9001:2008 certification, a non-clinically orientated quality management system.

Insurance

With its clientale skewed towards the middle upper classes Matilda is well connected^{[peacock term]} to global and local insurers and TPA's (Third Party Administrators) for directly billing services.^[3]

Problems

The hospital is not universally popular in Hong Kong, and the doctors working there have been accused of putting a high personal income ahead of patient care.[2]

An unusual death of a 16 year old American during a routine appendicectomy caused concern in 2006.[3][4].

In 2006, an enormous claim for damages related to an accusation of negligence during the delivery of a child was set underway.[5]

In 2011, the hospital refused to accept that it had responsibility for incomepetent activities by consultant surgeons making use of its facilities, and demanded the payments of large fees by a patient allegedly injured during treatment at the hospital.[6]

In popular culture

Scenes in the Oscar-winning movie, Love is a Many-Splendored Thing, were filmed at the Matilda hospital^[4].

See also

• List of hospitals in Hong Kong
• Health in Hong Kong
• Royal Naval Hospital (Hong Kong)
• First houses on the Peak

References

1. ^ Knapman, David:Conversation Sharp 1759-1835, the Biography of a London Gentleman in Letters, Prose and Verse. Private Pub.2003.British Library.
2. ^ Smith Joyce: Matilda - A Hong Kong Legacy. Pub. by the Matilda and war Memorial Hospital, 1988. p3
3. ^ http://www.matilda.org/en/your-hospital-stay/insurance/insurance-faq
4. ^ Matilda International Hospital's website: [1])

External links

• "Matilda International Hospital official homepage" (in English). http://www.matilda.org. 

Coordinates: 22°15′35″N 114°08′58″E / 22.25973°N 114.14944°E / 22.25973; 114.14944