Doctors

The number of health care workers in Hong Kong has tripled in the past two decades. Statistically, there are about 1.6 doctors per 1,000 population. About half of the doctors work in the private sector, with 95% in solo practice. There are two medical schools in Hong Kong, at University of Hong Kong and Chinese University.

Unlike in North America, where medical degrees are graduate degrees, medical education in Hong Kong is modeled after the system in the United Kingdom, where the MBBS medical degree is granted after five years of undergraduate study. Hong Kong graduates are eligible for registration (license to practice) after one year of internship.

The level of physician competence in Hong Kong, like elsewhere in the world, is highly variable. In the public sector, junior doctors are theoretically under the supervision of more senior doctors and consultants. These junior doctors function in a similar way to interns and residents in the North American system, but with arguably less direct supervision or an organized curriculum.

A range of skill and qualification is also seen in the private sector. Some doctors choose not to further their medical education and start private practice as soon as they are licensed. Others remain in the public sector, or leave to begin private practice only after they have gained further experience and are qualified ‘consultants’.

There are many doctors in private practice who received their medical education outside Hong Kong. Some of these doctors have had minimal formal training; others have studied in the finest institutions in North America and Europe, with superior training and clinical experience.

Fees charged by private practitioners in Hong Kong vary, usually from $200 to $450 or more for a specialist consultation. In some cases, these fees include the cost of medicine, but separate charges are often made. Patients also have to pay extra for laboratory tests, X-ray examinations, etc. Separate charges are usually made for investigations and the cost of medicines.

Home visits are generally more expensive, but many doctors keep their clinics open after ordinary office hours to suit those who cannot attend during the day. If you have been recommended other than basic medical treatment, you should request, in writing, an itemized list of required consultations, tests and treatments, and their charges.

Medical Fees

Fees in public hospitals and clinics are heavily subsidized. Patients in general wards of public hospitals are charged HK$68 a day. This is an all inclusive fee, covering treatment, medicine, surgery, tests, accommodation and food. Some private beds are provided at major hospitals with higher maintenance and treatment charges.

A consultation at a general out patient clinic is charged at $45, while a specialist consultation is charged at $100 for first consultation and $60 per session. Attendance at geriatric or psychiatric day centers and home visits by community nurses are charged at $55 per session. Fees may be reduced or waived in cases of financial hardship.

Subsequent to the release of the Consultant Document on Health Care Reform in December 2000, a comprehensive review of the existing fees structure in the public health care sector was commissioned. Objectives of the review were to better target and prioritize public subsidies to areas of most needs, ie, lower income groups and services that pose major financial risks to patients.

While it would reduce the inappropriate and misuses of public medical services, the revamped fees structure will remain affordable to the general public and a safety net will be in place to ensure that the poor and needy will continue to receive adequate medical treatment. The first step has been to introduce a $100 minimum emergency room charge to discourage casual users and those who used the formerly free service to avoid consultation fees.