Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau says an ongoing review of accident and emergency charges at public hospitals is looking at how to focus resources on those patients who are most in need. Financial Secretary Paul Chan suggested in January that the fees for various public services should be increased to offset the government's deficit. Lo said about 60 percent, or 1.3 million, A&E visits each year are classified as semi-urgent or non-urgent. With each patient costing HK$2,400 on average, that means the government is spending HK$2 billion annually on patients who do not have a genuine need for emergency services, the minister said. "The money spent at public hospitals is funded by taxpayers, so we need to make sure it is used prudently," Lo told reporters in an interview. "I need to point out that the government is currently subsidising almost 97 percent of costs at public hospitals. That means users are paying less than four percent of the actual bill for their services." Lo emphasised that the government will not scale back healthcare funding, and said some patients may enjoy reduced fees. Authorities are also identifying groups who require more financial resistance, such as cancer patients who fork out hundreds of thousands of dollars each year for medication, he said. On a separate note, Lo pledged to conduct a "systemic" review after a string of medical incidents at public hospitals. He floated some possible solutions, including strengthening an incentive and penalty mechanism for staff, and boosting accountability among management. "Having someone step down does not mean the problem is solved", he said, adding that resignations could further exacerbate the manpower shortage at public hospitals.
