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The healthcare system in Hong Kong is unique in that it has high-quality private and public healthcare tracks. Together these serve roughly 7.4 million people. Here are 8 things to know about the healthcare system in Hong Kong.
In the year 2019-2020, patients coming for non-urgent cases at A&E departments of Hong Kong public hospitals had to wait 134 minutes on average. Waiting time for stable new case booking at specialist out-patient clinics can take up to 146 weeks in the Kowloon East Hospital Cluster. For certain procedures, the waiting time can be as long as:
It is not standardized, and nothing limits what health providers can charge. Prices vary greatly depending on doctors' reputation and location, for instance:
Note: Hong Kong has excellent public hospitals for cancer treatments such as Queen Mary Hospital, however due to the number of demands, patients even in stage 3 or 4 may need to wait. Immediate admission cannot be guaranteed 100%.
No. For HKID holders, costs in the public healthcare are nearly free and largely affordable. Medical charges in the private sector, however, vary greatly — Hong Kong has the world’s second most expensive private healthcare after the US.
Fees for public healthcare services are very low in Hong Kong: it costs HK$50 for a general outpatient visit and HK$135 for a first visit at a specialist clinic. On the other hand, charges vary widely in the private sector.
A major challenge for Hong Kong’s healthcare system is the shortage of doctors faced with an increasing medical demand from the aging population. As a result, the public sector is overstretched and overcrowded.
This article was independently written by Healthy Matters. It is informative only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be relied upon for specific medical advice.
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