Health Bureau holds Family Doctor Promotion Day to rally support for "Family Doctor For All" concept (with photos)
******************************************************************************************
The event echoed the theme of the World Family Doctor Day this year, "Family doctors: the heart of healthcare", with the slogan "Build a healthy life, engage a family doctor". The Under Secretary for Health, Dr Libby Lee; the President of the HKCFP, Dr David Chao; Deputy Secretary for Health Mr Eddie Lee; the Commissioner for Primary Healthcare, Dr Pang Fei-chau; the Deputy Director of Health, Dr Teresa Li; Assistant Commissioner for Primary Healthcare Dr Tony Ha; and the Chairman of the Hospital Authority (HA), Mr Henry Fan, officiated at the event. Nearly 100 guests from diverse backgrounds comprising stakeholders from public and private healthcare sectors, patient groups leaders, and representatives from the Department of Health, the HA, and District Health Centres (DHCs)/DHC Expresses also assembled at Wong Tai Sin District Health Centre for the event today to show the solidarity between doctors and patients.
All participating guests today are supporters of the "Family Doctor For All" concept. The DHCs in the 18 districts also joined together to produce a video for screening at the event to advocate the importance of family doctors in promoting primary healthcare.
Addressing the event, Dr Libby Lee said, "Family doctors play a pivotal role in the primary healthcare system. They provide comprehensive and continuous disease prevention care to citizens through promoting and fostering chronic disease management, vaccination, cancer screening and healthy lifestyles. As our dependable health partners, family doctors take care of our healthcare needs at different life stages, from birth to twilight years. I'm pleased to see that many doctors have already partaken in the work of primary healthcare. I hope that many more will join in the future."
Dr Libby Lee also pointed out the Government's plan to launch the Chronic Disease Co-Care Scheme in the fourth quarter of this year for citizens to manage their chronic diseases and associated risks at an early stage with the aid of family doctors, thereby reducing the adverse impact of chronic diseases on their health and daily lives. She called on the healthcare sector and members of the public to support the implementation of the Scheme.
The number of patients with chronic diseases in Hong Kong is on the rise, with a projection of reaching three million by 2039. According to the Report of Population Health Survey 2020-22, about 40 per cent of diabetic and hypertensive patients are unaware of having the chronic diseases concerned. As such, the Government will roll out the relevant screening and management programmes to work towards the goal of early detection and intervention.
Dr Pang said, "The Chronic Disease Co-Care Scheme planned for launch in the fourth quarter of this year will enable registered DHC members to match with a family doctor and enjoy Government subsidised screening and risk assessment for diabetes and hypertension afterwards, as well as to receive treatment and care services in the private sector. The DHCs will liaise with and make good use of the service networks in the community, and co-ordinate and provide multidisciplinary follow-up services to citizens, so as to help them manage and prevent chronic diseases."
Dr Pang added that family doctors are important partners in the implementation of the Chronic Disease Co-Care Scheme. At present, the number of family doctors who have enrolled in the Primary Care Directory, an electronic database of primary care providers, has seen an encouraging increase from some 2 700 at the end of last year when the Primary Healthcare Blueprint was released to over 3 100 earlier this month. He called on doctors to sign up for the Primary Care Directory as early as possible so that they can participate in the Chronic Disease Co-Care Scheme when it is launched.
As stated in the Blueprint, the Government is set to develop a community-based primary healthcare system that includes initiatives such as strengthening the registration system of family doctors and facilitating the two-way referral mechanism of DHCs with the specialist and hospital services.
The Government encourages citizens to set up self-care health plans, download and use the eHealth mobile app, engage a family doctor, and register as a DHC member. Family doctors will adhere to their professionalism and build a healthy life together with citizens in the aspect of disease prevention, in particular chronic disease management.
Ends/Friday, May 19, 2023
Issued at HKT 14:35
Issued at HKT 14:35
NNNN
Photo
