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Connor Mycroft

Visits to accident and emergency (A&E) departments at Hong Kong’s public hospitals have dropped by nearly 12 per cent since a new pricing regime took effect, while the number of people benefiting from fee waivers has tripled.
The Hospital Authority said on Friday that in the first week after the new fees regime was implemented on New Year’s Day it had seen a “significant decrease” in average daily A&E attendance, while more low-income families and underprivileged groups were being supported.
“The service data of the past week shows that the fees and charges reform allowed A&Es to perform their emergency care function more effectively,” an authority spokesman said.
“A&Es can better concentrate resources, treat patients with urgent medical needs more effectively and improve treatment efficiency for urgent cases.”




Between January 1 and 7, 32,147 patients attended the 18 A&Es operated by the authority, a decrease of 11.9 per cent from the same period last year.
For patients classified as urgent cases, average wait times decreased from 22 minutes to 19 minutes, the authority said. It added that the percentage of those being treated within the service pledge target of 30 minutes also increased from 82.7 to 88.8 per cent.
Semi-urgent and non-urgent patients also decreased to 50.6 per cent compared with 54.2 per cent over the same period last year.
The authority also said it had approved 49,310 medical fee waiver applications between January 1 and January 7, which was 3.5 times higher than the 14,000 who received it in the previous year.
The new medical fee waiver mechanism expanded the number of eligible beneficiaries from 300,000 to around 1.4 million, the authority said.
Among those who benefited from the fee waiver in the first week of the new year were about 500 poor patients at A&E departments, triple last year’s figure.
About 2,100 also received a medical fee waiver for inpatient services, a rise of 3.5 times, while about 8,600 received a waiver for specialist outpatient services, marking a sixfold increase.

The spokesman said that the data showed the new medical fee waiver mechanism could allocate resources more precisely to strengthen protection for poor, acute, serious and critical patients, ensuring no one was denied medical care for lack of means.
Authorities said the revamped pricing regime was introduced to ensure the sustainable development of the healthcare system amid challenges from an ageing population.
Patients with milder conditions and stronger financial means must pay higher fees while greater support is offered to those with more severe and urgent ailments.
Whereas patients used to pay a flat rate of HK$180 (US$23) at public A&E departments for all conditions, those with less urgent conditions are now charged HK$400 per visit. Patients classified as emergency or critical cases have their fees waived.
Patients requiring overnight hospital treatment need to pay HK$200 to HK$300 per day for a bed, depending on the type, up from the previous HK$100 to HK$120.
Fees for family medicine clinics, which provide community-based healthcare and were previously known as general outpatient clinics, also rose from HK$50 to HK$150 per visit.
Authorities estimate the increased fees can generate an additional HK$3 billion (US$385 million) a year, with the extra revenue earmarked to support patients facing financial hardship or critical illnesses.
The government also plans to gradually reduce the public healthcare subsidy rate from 97.6 per cent to 90 per cent by 2030.


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Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Hong Kong hospital A&E department visits fall 12% after new fees take effect

The fee revamp took effect on January 1. Photo: Sun Yeung

Between January 1 and 7, 32,147 patients attended the 18 A&Es operated by the Hospital Authority. Photo: Karma Lo

Most patients at Hong Kong A&E departments unaware of evening clinics as alternative

Patients wait for treatment at the accident and emergency department of Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Jordan. Photo: Karma Lo

At the A&E department of Caritas Medical Centre (pictured), four out of five patients interviewed by the Post on Friday were unaware of evening services available at 23 family clinics across the city. Photo: Edmond So

9 patients spared higher fees as new hospital charges take effect in Hong Kong

An employee at Kwong Wah Hospital holds up a sign publicising the fee revamp. Photo: Sun Yeung

Patients wait for treatment at Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s accident and emergency department. Photo: Karma Lo

The new fees are displayed on a screen at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Photo: Karma Lo

News

Hong Kong

Health & Environment

Number of people benefiting from fee waivers under new pricing regime that started on January 1 triples


Number of people benefiting from fee waivers under new pricing regime that started on January 1 triples.


Hong Kong hospital A&E department visits fall 12% after new fees take effect

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Number of people benefiting from fee waivers under new pricing regime that started on January 1 triples

Number of people benefiting from fee waivers under new pricing regime that started on January 1 triples