Telemedicine set to boost city's attraction

Medical industry players and experts believe the development of telemedicine in Hong Kong will help make the city a popular destination for clients from abroad.

But this depends on how far relevant regulations and policies can make nonlocal residents eligible and well protected in online consultations with Hong Kong doctors.

According to the guidelines issued by the Medical Council of Hong Kong in December 2019, telemedicine can only be practiced by locally-registered medical practitioners on patients residing in Hong Kong.

Kenneth Tsang, CEO of Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong, said that as telemedicine becomes more popular, extending teleconsultation services to patients overseas, which is technically feasible, is a logical step forward.

Although most of Gleneagles' patients are local, the hospital has been offering specialty and sub-specialty advice and treatment to expatriates and patients from different regions, including the Chinese mainland, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, according to Tsang.

In recent years, more than a million patients from the mainland have come to Hong Kong for medical treatment, noted Jens Ewert, life science and healthcare industry leader at Deloitte China.

He said he believes a broader adoption of digital healthcare, such as online consultations with doctors as a sort of pre-communication before mainland patients leave for Hong Kong, will improve the overall user experience.

Digital tools can also help mainland and Hong Kong doctors exchange their experiences, he said.

To facilitate the application of telemedicine in cross-border healthcare, it requires an appropriate insurance package for mainland patients, as well as an improved regulatory framework, he added.

"In conclusion, we are holding an optimistic attitude to Hong Kong's telemedicine development, and expect to see more non-Hong Kong patients seeking medical expertise in Hong Kong in the near future with utilization in telemedicine," he said.