GOPC Public-Private Partnership Programme rolled out (with photos)
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The Hospital Authority (HA) has launched the pilot for the General Outpatient Clinic Public-Private Partnership (GOPC PPP) Programme in Kwun Tong, Wong Tai Sin and Tuen Mun in mid-2014 and the response has been positive. The Programme will be extended to all 18 districts by phases, covering nine more districts including Eastern, Southern, Wan Chai, Kowloon City, Sham Shui Po, Kwai Ching, Sai Kung, Sha Tin and Yuen Long from the third quarter this year, and the remaining districts in 2017/18 and 2018/19. Upon the roll-out of the Programme to all 18 districts, it is estimated that around 35 000 patients will participate.
The HA Director (Cluster Services), Dr Cheung Wai-lun, inspected the patient enrollment process for the Programme at the Sai Wan Ho GOPC today (November 9). He said, "Apart from offering more choices and convenience for patients seeking primary healthcare services and alleviating the pressure on public general outpatient services, we hope that the Programme will help promote the family doctor concept and foster the long-term patient-doctor relationship, which is essential for the management of chronic diseases.
"Patients with hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus (with or without hyperlipidemia), who have been attending the GOPCs in the districts concerned for more than a year and are in stable clinical condition, will be invited to join the Programme voluntarily. Patients can choose one private doctor from the list of participating service providers in the 12 districts concerned as their family doctor. Each patient will receive up to 10 subsidised visits per year, which will include consultation for both chronic and episodic illnesses; drugs for treating chronic conditions (e.g. anti-hypertensive drugs, lipid-regulating drugs and oral anti-diabetic drugs) and episodic illnesses (e.g. antibiotics and up to three days of episodic drugs), which will be given at the private doctor's clinic; and specified investigation services provided by the HA through the private doctor's referral.
"Patients only need to pay the HA GOPC fee of $45 for each consultation. Existing recipients of various fee waivers will continue to have the same fee waiving arrangement as for HA's services. Under mutual agreement, patients may receive further services and drugs at their own expense. Those who have participated in the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme can pay for the additional charges from their account."
The new round of patient enrollment began in October this year. Eligible patients will be invited by the HA in batches and do not need to apply by themselves. Briefing sessions will be organised and roving promotional counters will be set up in GOPCs to encourage and facilitate patient enrollment. Participating patients also have to register for the Electronic Health Record Sharing System so that their medical records can be shared between the HA and their selected private doctors for continuity of care.
"Based on the recommendations of the Programme interim review, the HA has implemented various enhancements in four major areas, namely the provision of Programme drugs, the information technology platform, operational matters and the stakeholder communication platform. With effect from October this year, eight more drugs for treating associated health problems have been added to the Programme drug list, and the service fee for private doctors has been increased to $3,034 per patient per year. For enhanced communication, patients will receive notifications via short message service (SMS), email or mail when their consultation quotas have been used, updated or reset annually," Dr Cheung added.
Patients can visit the Programme website (www.ha.org.hk/ppp/gopcppp) for more details and the updated list of participating private doctors. They may also make enquiries by calling the Programme hotline at 2300 7300 or approaching the helpdesk in the districts concerned.
Ends/Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Issued at HKT 19:40
Issued at HKT 19:40
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