Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ14: Monitoring of private hospitals
Following is a question by the Hon Emily Lau and a written reply by the Secretary for the Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, in the Legislative Council today (April 9):
Question:
Regarding the monitoring of the service standard of private hospitals and the transparency of their charges, will the Executive Authorities inform this Council:
(a) of the measures in place to encourage private hospitals to clearly inform their patients in advance of the charge details of various medical services and display notices listing such charge details at conspicuous places;
(b) of the measures in place to encourage private hospitals to establish a clinical audit system, in order to enhance monitoring of the professional standard of resident medical practitioners;
(c) whether they know the number of private hospitals which have clearly made public the details of service charges and established a clinical audit system; and
(d) whether they will consider including the requirement of "clearly making public the details of service charges and establishing a clinical audit system" as a licensing condition for private hospitals?
Reply:
(a) All private hospitals are already displaying a schedule of charges for its services for patients' reference at conspicuous places such as the admission office and cashier office of the hospital.
(b) At present, all private hospitals are already conducting clinical audit activities on a voluntary basis. Nevertheless, the Department of Health (DH) has included the conduct of clinical audit activities as a quality management requirement in a draft code of practice for private hospitals on standard of good practice. The draft code of practice will be finalised for implementation after considering the feedback from private hospitals.
(c) All 12 private hospitals in Hong Kong have already been making public their fees schedule and are conducting clinical audit activities.
(d) In finalising the code of practice for private hospitals on standard of good practice, DH will consider whether compliance with the requirements on fee schedule and quality management therein should be made one of the licensing conditions for private hospitals.
End/Wednesday, April 9, 2003
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