Patient network launched for comprehensive care

The Primary Healthcare Commission on Friday launched the Primary Healthcare Co-care Network for better personalised patient care. The network was announced in the budget at the end of last month. Unlike past measures, when patients were required to access different platforms for different services, the new platform allows patients in different stages of treatment to access services in one single medical network. Primary Healthcare Commissioner Pang Fei-chau said the new system makes things more efficient and streamlined for patients. “It will be more efficient to engage same group of doctors and also with same types of subsidisation and co-payment that will help to facilitate a further development in different types of illness from different perspectives like prevention, like diagnosis, screening, management, as well as the referral,” he said. Phase 1 of this network will aim to serve 700,000 patients over the coming five years, integrating Hospital Authority family medicine clinics, public-private partnerships, and elderly services from the Department of Health later this year. Currently, it covers screenings for blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood lipids alongside screening for Hepatitis B for over 200,000 participants. The network targets high-risk patients with chronic illnesses, the elderly, patients at family medicine outpatient clinics, and patients under the General Outpatient Clinic Public-Private Partnership Programme. Pang said future plans will see the network expanded to cover other chronic diseases while integrating services such as radiology and seasonal flu vaccination. On the same day, the Commission also launched the Yau Tsim Mong District Health Centre. It offers a vaccination room, a blood taking station, consultation rooms, and a therapy room for exercise, with audio visual smart technology to assist patients' rehabilitation. Edited by Tony Sabine