166 Health
Secondary, Tertiary and Specialised Healthcare Services
Secondary, tertiary and specialised healthcare services are provided mainly in hospitals run by the Hospital Authority. As at December 31, 2007, there were 27 784 hospital beds, comprising 20 364 acute beds, 2 151 infirmary beds, 4 589 beds for the mentally ill and 680 beds for the mentally handicapped. In addition, there were 3 438 beds in private hospitals, 2 945 in nursing homes and 761 in institutions run by the Correctional Services Department. In all, the number of beds per thousand of population is about five.
Specialist Outpatient Service
Secondary and tertiary ambulatory services in the public sector are provided mainly through the Hospital Authority's specialist clinics. At these clinics, patients' symptoms are assessed, and arrangements made for specific tests to be carried out to facilitate diagnosis, treatment, as well as follow-up treatment for patients who require long-term specialist care. About $5.6 billion were allocated in 2006-2007 for providing such services.
Most public hospitals have specialtist clinics for internal medicine, surgery, as well as obstetrics, gynaecology, paediatrics, orthopaedics and traumatology, ear nose and throat, neurosurgery, oncology and cardiothoracic surgery. Many hospitals also have subspecialist clinics for cardiology, respiratory medicine, kidney disorders and other illnesses.
In 2007, members of the public made almost 6.02 million visits to specialist outpatient clinics and about 1.78 million to allied health outpatient departments in public hospitals. To cope with the heavy demand for their services, the specialist clinics in public hospitals have implemented a triage system for screening new referrals to see which patients need more urgent attention. Patients with what is classified as Priority I and II conditions are seen within two weeks and eight weeks respectively. The triage criteria have been communicated to private practitioners to facilitate preliminary examination of patients. The specialist clinics in many public hospitals have also worked with the family medicine specialist clinics within the same cluster to conduct preliminary assessment of patients with stable and low-risk medical conditions so as to shorten the waiting time for new referrals. Patients in stable condition would either be referred back to the primary care practitioners in the private sector or the Hospital Authority's general outpatient clinics.
Acute Inpatient Service
Inpatient services are offered to patients who require intensive therapy for their acute illness. In 2006-2007, about $17 billion were allocated for the provision of such services which are available in major acute hospitals under the Hospital Authority. Supported by full ancillary services, clinicians in public hospitals are able to effectively treat patients with different medical needs through a comprehensive range of clinical specialities, including internal medicine, surgery, neurosurgery, clinical oncology, cardiology, obstetrics and other such operations and treatments.
In 2007, some 1.2 million inpatients and day patients were treated and discharged from public hospitals. In line with the international trend, the Hospital
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