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urgent cases under Category 3, semi-urgent cases under Category 4, and non- urgent cases under Category 5.
The triage system ensures that patients with more urgent needs receive prompt attention. In 2011, all Category 1 patients received immediate treatment while over 95 per cent of Category 2 patients were treated within 15 minutes.
Medical Charges and Waiver
Fees for public hospital and clinic services for the general public are affordable. They are subsidised up to 95 per cent by the Government, with people receiving assistance under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme exempted from paying. Other needy groups are assisted through a medical fee waiver scheme. Recipients of this waiver include low-income patients, the chronically ill, and elderly patients with financial difficulties.
Private Hospitals
Hong Kong's private hospitals served 381 554 inpatients in 2010, representing 21 per cent of the total number of inpatients in the territory. As at end 2011, there were 12 private hospitals in operation in Hong Kong. According to existing figures, spending on private inpatient services amounts to $8.2 billion, accounting for 27 per cent of overall expenditure on inpatient services in the public and private sectors.
Healthcare Service Development and Infrastructure
Public Hospital Development Projects
A number of public hospital development projects are underway to help improve healthcare services in different parts of Hong Kong. These include ongoing expansion of Tseung Kwan O Hospital, North Lantau
Lantau Hospital Phase 1, redevelopment of Caritas Medical Centre Phase 2 and redevelopment of Yan Chai Hospital. In addition, development projects under active preparation include the Centre of Excellence in Paediatrics, Tin Shui Wai Hospital, preparatory work on the expansion of United Christian Hospital and reprovisioning of Yaumatei Specialist Clinic at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Public-private Partnership Projects in Healthcare Services
The Government has launched a series of public-private partnership (PPP) pilot. projects through the HA to promote the PPP concept in healthcare services. These pilots include a cataract surgeries programme, launched in February 2008, under which participating patients receive subsidies for cataract surgery performed by private ophthalmologists. By the end of 2011, a total of 101 ophthalmologists had participated in the programme. Of the 16 458 patients enrolled in the programme, 12 736 had received cataract surgery.
The HA implemented the Tin Shui Wai Primary Care Partnership Project in June 2008. Under this programme, healthcare services are purchased from the private sector to treat chronic disease patients living in Tin Shui Wai who need long-term follow-up treatment at general outpatient clinics. Participating patients receive
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