Hong Kong’s first ever Chinese medicine hospital — a flagship institution designed to spearhead the development, integration, and globalization of Chinese medicine — is introducing special discounts for its inaugural year.
The move is to encourage public engagement, with selected services available at 10 percent to 30 percent off the standard price.
The hospital, scheduled to commence phased operations starting Dec 11, marks a significant milestone in the city's healthcare landscape, said project director of the Chinese Medicine Hospital Project Office of the Health Bureau, Cheung Wai-lun, at a media conference on Wednesday.
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The first year of operation will focus on outpatient, day ward, and clinical support services. It will launch with 12 of its planned 23 specialist services available, scaling up to provide the full range of services within five years. Full inpatient services are scheduled to begin in the second year, with the complete rollout of 400 beds and an annual capacity of 400,000 outpatient visits projected by 2030.
The provision of services will be split: 65 percent will be government-subsidized for eligible residents, and 35 percent will be market-oriented. Designated groups will qualify for full fee waivers, while other patients experiencing financial hardship and who are unable to afford the service charges can apply to the hospital for fee reductions.
The subsidized general outpatient consultation fee has been set at HK$180 ($23.15), while a visit for a specialist outpatient consultation will cost HK$280, reduced to HK$250 in the first year. Specific western medical diagnostic procedures will also be available at different costs ranging from HK$500 to HK$2,000 depending on the area of the body to be examined.
For the market-oriented services, patients can appoint a specific Chinese medicine physician, for which the consultation fee has been set at either HK$560 or HK$980, depending on the category of the Chinese medicine practitioner. These services will be offered at HK$450 and HK$790, respectively, during the first year.
Cheung explained that the subsidized services are priced below the market level to ensure public affordability, demonstrating the government's dedication to public health. The private services, however, are benchmarked against market prices.
He highlighted the hospital's role in advancing the sector, and said that the goal is to eventually transfer its techniques and treatment models to the private market to foster the overall development of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong, adding that while some charges are necessary, the hospital is a nonprofit and is not profit-driven.
Cheung said the hospital will accept referrals from the Hospital Authority's Chinese Medicine Clinics-cum-Training and Research Centres. He also indicated that after full inpatient services begin at the end of next year, the hospital will explore referral partnerships with other public and private hospitals developing integrated Chinese-Western medicine programs.
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In terms of recruitment, the hospital’s chief executive,Bian Zhaoxiang, said that the hospital will open with approximately 270 to 300 staff in its first year, which will be increased to 800 to 1,000 staff once fullyoperational.
“Recruitment (has been) successful and we have sufficient staff for the first year of operations,” Bian added.
The public can now access the hospital's new website. Appointment bookings for services will open from Nov 1 via the website or by using a dedicated hotline — 3121 3121. A mobile application will also be launched on Dec 1, with in-person registration also available at the hospital from its opening day.
A series of promotional activities, including open days and community events, will be held in the lead-up to the launch to improve public awareness of this transformative addition to Hong Kong's healthcare system.
Contact the writer at stacyshi@chinadailyhk.com
