The power of teamwork
Dr Johnny Chan Wai-man
Deputy Hospital Chief Executive (Professional Services) / Consultant (Medicine), Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Dr Johnny Chan Wai-man has served at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) for over 30 years. In the early days of his career, the respiratory medicine was only a specialty in its infancy in QEH with only three doctors. A Respiratory Division with its present strength of doctors and nurses had been progressively built. Dr Chan and his team have always believed that collective effort leads to success: "Individual strength is limited; it is the collective team spirit that matters."
Over the years, Dr Chan has collaborated seamlessly with various departments in Kowloon Central Cluster (KCC) and QEH. A prime example is the staunch support from QEH's Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, enabling the introduction of Pleuroscopy over two decades ago and the adoption of Transbronchial Cryobiopsy in recent years. These advanced procedures have provided patients with relatively non-invasive diagnostic alternatives.
Apart from his clinical duties, he has also been appointed various administrative and management positions, including Chief of Service (COS) of the Department of Medicine of QEH, Clinical Stream Coordinator (Medicine) of KCC, and Chairman of the Hospital Authority's Central Coordinating Committee (Medicine). He firmly believes in the importance of communication in such roles, which serves as the cornerstone of successful teamwork.
As a respiratory specialist, Dr Chan describes the two major outbreaks in Hong Kong as the most challenging periods of his career. During SARS, he led his team in confronting an unknown disease; years later, he faced the relentless waves of COVID-19, with every moment still vividly etched in his memory. Serving at the time as COS of the Department of Medicine and Deputy Hospital Chief Executive, Dr Chan believes that team spirit carried them through every obstacle.
After retiring last August, Dr Chan was rehired to his familiar role at QEH. He has always been passionate about clinical work, and he is even more devoted to his team. He continues to serve on the frontline through ward rounds, out-patient clinics and endoscopic procedures. "The greatest satisfaction comes from seeing patients leave the consultation room with peace of mind," he shares.
