The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), Precious Blood Hospital (Caritas) (Precious Blood Hospital), and Canossa Hospital (Caritas) (Canossa Hospital) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a strategic partnership covering rehabilitation services, research and clinical education. By leveraging their respective strengths in clinical practice, rehabilitation research and advanced technology (knowledge transfer), the three parties aim to advance rehabilitation services while nurturing the next generation of rehabilitation professionals.
Under the collaboration framework, PolyU and Precious Blood Hospital will establish a Joint Health Centre dedicated to supporting patients preparing for and undergoing joint replacement surgery, particularly total knee replacement procedures. The Centre will provide a one-stop rehabilitation service covering the entire patient journey, from pre-operative preparation and inpatient care to post-operative rehabilitation. Drawing on its extensive research outcomes and innovative technologies, the PolyU Department of Rehabilitation Sciences will provide differentiated diagnosis and personalised rehabilitation management tailored to patients at different treatment stages, strengthening continuity of care, enabling patients to regain mobility faster and improving their quality of life. PolyU will also collaborate with Canossa Hospital to set up a dedicated health centre that complements its niche specialty services.
The signing ceremony was held on the PolyU campus today. The signing was witnessed by Prof. Michael YING, Associate Dean of the PolyU Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, and Ms Foina CHEUNG, Chief Operating Officer of Precious Blood Hospital. The MOU was signed by Prof. Marco PANG, Head of the PolyU Department of Rehabilitation Sciences; Prof. Joseph LUI, Medical Superintendent of Precious Blood Hospital, and Dr Andrew HUI, General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of Canossa Hospital, representing the three parties.
Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. Ying said, "PolyU has long upheld its motto, 'To learn and to apply, for the benefit of mankind', and is committed to advancing impactful education, research and knowledge transfer initiatives that address societal needs. As the population ages and demand for high-quality rehabilitation services continues to grow, there is an increasing need for innovative care models that deliver more comprehensive, personalised and effective rehabilitation. PolyU has extensive research strength and clinical experience in rehabilitation sciences, and we hope, through this collaboration, to further integrate research innovation with clinical practice to advance physiotherapy, occupational therapy and other rehabilitation disciplines, thereby contributing to the health and well-being of the community."
The Joint Health Centre will also serve as a platform for clinical research and knowledge transfer. By integrating routine clinical services with patient data collection and long-term follow-up, the Centre will establish a real-world clinical database to support the development of evidence-based rehabilitation pathways and further improve patient outcomes.
In addition, the three parties will jointly advance research in digital health and artificial intelligence, exploring the potential of innovative technologies in pre-operative outcome assessment, post-operative recovery monitoring and personalised rehabilitation support. The collaboration seeks to promote more precise and patient-centred models of rehabilitation care.
On the education front, the partnership will provide PolyU students in rehabilitation disciplines with enhanced clinical learning opportunities. Under the guidance of experienced practising clinicians, students will gain first-hand exposure to real-world healthcare settings, understand how technology-enabled models of care are integrated into clinical practice and appreciate how research findings are translated into healthcare services, thereby strengthening their professional competencies and innovative thinking.
