Healthcare services in Hong Kong fall into two main categories: public and private.

Public

All public hospitals are managed by the Hospital Authority. It offers subsidised medical treatment and rehabilitation services to Hong Kong citizens through hospitals, day hospitals, specialist clinics, family medicine clinics , Chinese medicine services and community outreach services that are organised into seven clusters which together serve the whole of Hong Kong.

In addition, the Department of Health (DH) provides subsidised healthcare services to Hong Kong citizens through its clinics and health centres.

Private

The DH regulates four types of private healthcare facilities (PHFs) under the Private Healthcare Facilities Ordinance, namely hospitals, day procedure centres, clinics, and health services establishments. Operators of these PHFs must obtain a relevant licence or a letter of exemption in order to continue operating.

Hospitals in Hong Kong are not classified into different grades.

Public hospitals and out-patient clinics are organised into seven clusters based on their locations, ensuring that patients receive a continuum of high-quality care within the same geographical setting.

A list of public healthcare institutions in Hong Kong can be found on the Hospital Authority’s website:
https://www.ha.org.hk/visitor/ha_visitor_index.asp?Content_ID=10036&Lang=ENG&Dimension=100&Parent_ID=10004&Ver=HTML.

The Hospital Authority (HA) offers two main ways for the public to make an appointment at family medicine clinics (FMCs), namely the FMC telephone appointment system and the “Book FMC” function in the HA’s one-stop mobile application “HA Go”. For those who have not previously used the HA’s services, they need to bring their identity documents (such as passport/Permit for Proceeding to Hong Kong and Macao/Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao) and visit an FMC of HA in person for registration to activate their accounts. With the “Book GOPC” function in HA Go, users can manage their appointments conveniently by checking the clinic quota status, booking general out-patient appointments for themselves or others, and making enquiries or cancellations at any time. Meanwhile, exclusive appointment quotas are reserved for elderly users under this function to meet their service needs.

To make an appointment at FMCs using HA Go, please follow these steps:
https://www2.ha.org.hk/hago/en/features/appointment-related/book-gopc.

For details of telephone appointment service, please refer to the following website:
https://www.ha.org.hk/haho/ho/hacp/IVAS_intro_txt_en.pdf.

The Accident and Emergency (A&E) Departments of public hospitals under the Hospital Authority (HA) provide 24-hour emergency services for patients requiring urgent medical attention and treatment. After registration, a triage nurse will classify the patients as “critical”, “emergency”, “urgent”, “semi urgent” or “non-urgent” according to their clinical conditions. Treatment priority is determined by the severity of the patient’s condition, rather than by the time of registration.

Patients may seek treatment at A&E Departments or call 999 for emergency assistance.

For details of A&E services at Hong Kong public hospitals, please refer to the HA’s website: https://www.ha.org.hk/visitor/ha_visitor_index.asp?Content_ID=10051&Lang=ENG&Dimension=100&Parent_ID=10042&Ver=HTML

In addition, certain private healthcare facilities provide 24-hour emergency services or night out-patient services. Please contact the relevant facilities for details.

There is no mandatory health insurance or medical savings contribution system in Hong Kong.

As regards health insurance, the Hong Kong Government has implemented the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS) with the policy objectives of:

• Enhancing the protection level of hospital insurance products
• Providing the public with an additional choice of using private healthcare services through hospital insurance
• Relieving the pressure on the public healthcare system in the long run

All insurance companies must be successfully registered with the Health Bureau as VHIS providers before they can offer VHIS Certified Plans on the market. All VHIS providers are subject to supervision and regulation under the Insurance Ordinance and must comply with the VHIS rules, including the product compliance rules and the Code of Practice.

VHIS plans cover hospitalisation and surgery costs, and offer guaranteed renewal up to the age of 100. The Hong Kong Government also provides tax deductions for eligible VHIS policy holders.

Chinese Mainland and Macao residents living in Hong Kong are also eligible for VHIS and related tax deductions in Hong Kong under specific conditions. Please contact insurance companies for detailed conditions of coverage and enquire with the Inland Revenue Department about entitlement to tax concessions.

The healthcare services in Macao can be divided into two major categories: government and non-government.

The Government provides a range of primary healthcare services through nine health centres and four health stations, and specialist services through Conde de São Januário General Hospital.

In addition, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Centro de Prevenção e Controlo de Doenças) under the Health Bureau (Serviços de Saúde) is responsible for public healthcare functions including epidemiological surveillance, promotion of health education, food hygiene, tuberculosis prevention and treatment, disease vector control, environmental hygiene, occupational health, and community health surveillance.

The district-based health centres provide community healthcare services and perform the following functions:

(1) providing personal healthcare services and essential medications to individuals and families;

(2) making referrals for patients requiring specialist healthcare to hospitals for medical follow-up;

(3) administering vaccination under the Immunisation Programme and maintaining accurate and up-to-date vaccination records;

(4) providing traditional Chinese medicine services;

(5) planning and launching health education projects, promoting and overseeing health-related projects for the physically and mentally vulnerable or the needy, particularly mothers, children, school staff members, the elderly, people with disabilities, and people with drug dependence.

Non-government healthcare services are mainly provided by medical institutions receiving subsidies from the Government or other organisations ,such as Kiang Wu Hospital, University Hospital, the Workers’ Clinics and Tung Sin Tong clinics, as well as various private clinics and laboratories.

Most medical services provided by Government health centres and Tung Sin Tong clinics are basically free of charge. For further information, please visit https://www.gcs.gov.mo/f/F25IccJt7N/zh-hant/i (Chinese only).

Hospitals in Macao are not graded or ranked. For information about public services provided by the Macao Health Bureau, please visit the following website:
https://www.gov.mo/zh-hant/entity-page/entity-552/.

(1) In-person appointment / registration at the counter

Patients must present their Health Bureau Patient Card (commonly known as the “Gold Card”) number and identity document.

(2) Online appointment / queue number collection

Registered users of “Macao One Account” with the “Gold Card” may book an appointment for initial out-patient consultation or take a queue number for non-scheduled out-patient services through accessing the Macao Health Data Platform mobile app, the Health Bureau’s website (www.ssm.gov.mo), or the out-patient services section under “My Health” page on the “Macao One Account”.

24-hour emergency services are currently available at three hospitals in Macao, namely the Emergency Department of Conde de São Januário General Hospital, Islands Emergency Station of Macao Union Medical Center, and the Emergency Department of Kiang Wu Hospital.

Instead of implementing a conventional mandatory universal health insurance system, the Macao SAR Government provides healthcare subsidies mainly through collaboration with the private sector. Macao residents are also entitled to a range of free primary healthcare services.

Furthermore, to share the fruits of Macao’s social and economic progress with residents, the Macao SAR Government has implemented an annual Healthcare Subsidy Scheme for the general public since 2009.

The medical institutions in the Chinese Mainland are primarily divided into two categories based on their founding entities:

• Public medical institutions established by the government: These are classified into three grades: Grade 1 (community/neighbourhood-level hospitals), Grade 2 (county/district-level hospitals), and Grade 3 (municipal and higher level hospitals).
• Non-public medical institutions established by social forces: These include private hospitals funded by social capital, foreign-invested hospitals, and others.

In the Chinese Mainland, hospitals are classified into a system of three grades and ten classes. Each grade is subdivided into three classes, namely Class A, Class B and Class C. Notably, Grade 3 hospitals include an extra Special Class. Hospitals are required to undergo assessments to determine their grade and class. Currently, a Grade 3 Class A hospital represents the highest level of hospital in the Chinese Mainland, capable of providing high-standard specialised medical and health services, as well as fulfilling higher education and scientific research responsibilities.

Hospital classification assessments are managed dynamically. Grades and classes are subject to adjustment based on an institution’s actual service capabilities following regular reviews by the health administration departments.

For information on medical institutions across various districts in Guangzhou, please refer to the website of the Guangzhou Municipal Health Commission:
http://wjw.gz.gov.cn/

For information on hospitals in Shenzhen, please refer to the Shenzhen Hospital Directory:
http://www.sz.gov.cn/hospital/

Please refer to the latest official announcements from the respective authorities for the most up-to-date information.

Rights to appointment and registration services:

• Both the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents and the Residence Permit for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Residents are legally valid identity documents for hospital registration in the Mainland. In accordance with the Measures for Applying for and Issuing Residence Permits for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Residents, holders of these documents enjoy the same rights to appointment and registration services as Mainland residents.

Methods for making appointments:

• Telephone appointment, for example:
  • HealthyWay: 400-6677-400 (Service Hours: 08:00-21:30)
  • 160 Health: 400-1191-160 (Service Hours: 08:00-21:00)
  • Guangzhou’s central appointment and registration system: (86 20) 12320 (Service Hours: 24 hours)
  • Xiamen’s central appointment and registration system: (86 592) 96166
  • Hong Kong and Macao residents can also make appointments by directly calling the hotlines of individual hospitals.
• Online appointment: Hong Kong and Macao residents can schedule appointments at hospitals in their place of residence through the websites listed below. To register personal information, users only need a valid identity document and a phone number.
• Reference websites:
  • 39 Health Network: https://yyk.39.net/guangzhou/(Chinese only)
  • HealthyWay: http://www.yihu.com/(Chinese only)
  • 160 Health: http://gz.91160.com/(Chinese only)
  • Guangzhou’s central appointment registration system: https://guahao.wjw.gz.gov.cn/index.xhtml
• Appointment via Mobile Applications or the hospital’s WeChat official account:
  • Search for and follow the WeChat official accounts listed below, then complete the user registration process to make online medical appointments:
    • Platforms for multi-hospital appointments: 中國電信114掛號(“China Telecom 114 Appointment and Registration”), 健康之路 (“HealthyWay”), and 健康160 (“160 Health”)
    • Accounts for making an appointment with a specific hospital: WeChat official accounts of hospitals (e.g. the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University- Zhongshan First Hospital)
  • Search for 翼健康 (“Yikang Health”), 健康之路 (“HealthyWay”) or 健康160 (“160 Health”) in your phone’s app store and download the respective applications for making appointments and registration. All applications support both Android and iOS systems.
• On-site appointment: Valid identity documents must be presented for registration at the out-patient registration counters of hospitals.

Points to note:

• On the day of your medical appointment, you must bring the original valid identity document used for making the appointment (photocopies are not accepted) to get a queue number and wait for your turn. Requirements may vary by hospital. If the identity document presented on-site does not match the one used for making the appointment, you will not be able to get a queue number.
• For registration, you must provide valid identity information (such as a Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents or a Residence Permit for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Residents) and a valid mobile phone number.
• Real-name identity verification is required for making an appointment online, and the original identity documents must be presented for on-site registration. Once an appointment is confirmed, any rescheduling or cancellation must generally be completed 1 to 2 working days prior to the appointment date. Repeated no-shows may result in restrictions on making future appointments.

For more information regarding medical appointments, please refer to the official websites of individual hospitals. Specific appointment channels, rules, and requirements are subject to the official announcements published by each hospital.

• The comprehensive emergency departments in Grade 2 hospitals operate round the clock. The service hours for certain medical specialties are subject to the official announcements published by each hospital.
• Hong Kong and Macao residents can register for emergency services in the Mainland using their Resident Permit for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Residents / Mainland Travel Permit. For those who have enrolled in the medical insurance scheme in the Mainland, emergency medical expenses are reimbursable in accordance with the local medical insurance policies.
• The “Emergency Hotline 120” is an emergency assistance hotline centrally co ordinated by the emergency centre under the local health administrative department of each region. Patients are transported to the nearest medical institution equipped with emergency care capabilities. Where mobile service is suspended due to non-payment or a lack of credit, it is normally still possible to dial emergency numbers such as 120. As long as there is signal coverage in the area, the mobile phone can be connected to the network to place an emergency call, even when the screen displays “Emergency calls only”.

For the latest healthcare policies in Guangdong Province and other relevant information, please refer to:

• The Health Commission of Guangdong Province:
  http://wsjkw.gd.gov.cn/
• Websites of the Health Commission of various cities and districts

Overview of the medical insurance system in the Chinese Mainland:

• The medical insurance system in the Mainland covers over 95% of the population. Led by the National Healthcare Security Administration and governed by the Social Insurance Law , it primarily consists of two components, namely Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance (for the employed) and Urban and Rural Resident Basic Medical Insurance (for the non-working/rural residents). It is one of the “Five Social Insurances”, with enrollment being either mandatory or voluntary, and is supplemented by a critical illness insurance mechanism for secondary reimbursement.
  • Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance is mandatory for employed individuals, with premiums jointly paid by employers and employees.
  • Urban and Rural Resident Basic Medical Insurance is voluntary for non-working and rural residents, with premiums paid on an annual basis.
  • Critical illness insurance serves as supplementary medical insurance coverage. Insured individuals do not need to pay separate premiums; they are automatically enrolled upon participating in either of the basic medical insurance schemes. After medical expenses are reimbursed by the basic medical insurance, if the eligible expenses borne by the individual meet the local deductible threshold, a secondary reimbursement can be made through the critical illness insurance. The specific reimbursement ratios and deductible thresholds are determined by local authorities. The deductible threshold is generally benchmarked at 50% to 100% of the previous year’s local per capita disposable income.

Insurance Eligibility Requirements for Hong Kong and Macao residents:

• Since the implementation of the “Interim Measures for Participation in Social Insurance by Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Residents in the Mainland” on 1 January 2020, Hong Kong and Macao residents, in the same way as the Chinese Mainland residents, are entitled to participate in basic pension insurance and basic medical insurance in their place of residence in the Chinese Mainland.
• Hong Kong and Macao residents are not required to provide proof of the Chinese Mainland household registration when enrolling in medical insurance in the Chinese Mainland. By presenting a Residence Permit for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Residents along with one of the following: proof of legitimate and stable employment, proof of a legitimate and stable residence or proof of continuous school attendance, they may complete insurance enrollment procedures with the medical insurance agency in their place of residence. They are subject to the same contribution obligations and entitled to the same reimbursement benefits as Chinese Mainland residents.

Arrangements for Cross-region Medical Treatment:

• Cross-region medical treatment refers to situations where an insured individual receives medical treatment outside his or her place of insurance registration. This includes two scenarios, namely “intra provincial medical treatment” and “cross provincial medical treatment”.
• If Hong Kong and Macao residents require cross region medical treatment after enrolling in an insurance scheme, they may file a cross region treatment record through the National Medical Insurance Service Platform app, local medical insurance’s mini programmes (such as “Yueyibao”), or the local medical insurance agency in their place of residence. Once the record filing is completed, eligible medical expenses incurred can be settled directly at the designated medical institutions in the location of treatment.

Medical Benefits:

• In addition to enrolling in the Mainland’s medical insurance for employees or residents, Hong Kong and Macao residents may seek medical treatment at cross-boundary healthcare co-operation institutions in the GBA. Some of these institutions, such as Shenzhen Qianhai Taikang Hospital and Guangdong Clifford Hospital, offer direct settlement services for Hong Kong and Macao medical insurance plans.

Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme:

• Eligible Hong Kong elderly persons may use Elderly Health Care Vouchers at the pilot medical institutions across nine Mainland cities in the GBA.
• For further information on the use of Elderly Health Care Voucher and the list of pilot medical institutions participating in the scheme, please visit the website of the Hong Kong Health Care Voucher Scheme (https://www.hcv.gov.hk/en/hcv_gba_pilot_scheme/index.html）