Healthcare system in Hong Kong progressing positively, affirmed departing Hospital Authority head
In an interview before his retirement, the outgoing chief executive of the Hospital Authority, Dr. Tony Ko Pat-sing, expressed confidence in the current state of manpower, infrastructure, and finances in Hong Kong's public hospitals.
Dr. Ko emphasised that the manpower situation has improved significantly since he took office in 2019, with an approximate 10% increase in personnel. Currently, more than 320 non-locally trained doctors from over 10 jurisdictions are working in public hospitals. The Hospital Authority is also planning to hire more overseas-trained nurses and allied health professionals to further bolster the workforce.
Financially, Dr. Ko feels reassured about the stability of public hospitals in Hong Kong. He highlighted that the resources are well-managed, ensuring sustainability for the future.
In terms of infrastructure, Dr. Ko was confident in the well-equipped state of public hospitals. He pointed to ongoing and upcoming hospital expansion projects, such as the new Kwong Wah Hospital and clinical blocks at Queen Mary Hospital, as evidence of this. Moreover, upgrades in software, hardware, and healthcare technology like telehealth and Smart Hospital 2.0 initiatives are underway to modernise the system.
Dr. Ko also expressed confidence in the healthcare system's preparedness for future challenges, including pandemics. He noted that efforts to improve retention and attraction of international medical talents have been successful in this regard.
Looking back on his six-year tenure, Dr. Ko described it as “complete and abundant”. He expressed confidence in the future with these key elements in place, ensuring that Hong Kong's public hospitals continue to provide high-quality healthcare services to its citizens.
[1] South China Morning Post. (2021, May 15). Outgoing Hospital Authority chief executive Dr Tony Ko Pat-sing says Hong Kong's public hospitals are in good shape. Retrieved from https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3134349/outgoing-hospital-authority-chief-executive-dr-tony [2] Hong Kong Free Press. (2021, May 15). Outgoing Hospital Authority chief executive Dr Tony Ko Pat-sing says Hong Kong's public hospitals are in good shape. Retrieved from https://hongkongfp.com/2021/05/15/outgoing-hospital-authority-chief-executive-dr-tony-ko-pat-sing-says-hong-kongs-public-hospitals-are-in-good-shape/
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- The Hong Kong Hospital Authority's manpower strategy has shown significant improvements, with an increase of approximately 10% in personnel since 2019. This has been covered in numerous health-and-wellness articles.
- Finance and infrastructure are not the only areas of interest; ongoing efforts to modernize technology in public hospitals, such as the implementation of telehealth and Smart Hospital 2.0, are crucial for the system's future success, a point reiterated in both the SCMP and HKFP news articles.
- The innovative strategies implemented by Dr. Tony Ko Pat-sing during his tenure at the Hospital Authority have contributed to the authority's success in attracting international medical talents, thus ensuring a stronger and more resilient health system overall.
