The Health Bureau (HHB) and the Operator of The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong (CMHHK) announced today (October 15) that CMHHK will commence services in phases starting from December 11. In the first year after the service commencement, CMHHK will provide outpatient and day-patient services and fully launch six specialised Chinese medicine (CM) services, along with 12 special disease programmes.

     The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, said, "CMHHK is the first CM service-predominant hospital in Hong Kong. As a highly anticipated CM flagship project, the hospital will help further promote the high-quality and high-standard development of CM in Hong Kong on all fronts. Upon its service commencement, CMHHK will lead the way for Hong Kong's CM services to go beyond primary healthcare and play a part in secondary and tertiary healthcare services, bringing significant breakthroughs in the development of CM in Hong Kong. I am very excited that the hospital is about to commence its service, and look forward to its development of a 'Hong Kong model' for pure CM services, services with CM playing the predominant role and integrated Chinese-Western medicine (ICWM) services, providing more comprehensive CM services to members of the public.

     "Meanwhile, as a flagship CM institution in Hong Kong, CMHHK will undertake five key missions of development. Apart from providing healthcare services to members of the public, its missions include training and education, research, collaboration and creating health values. CMHHK will give full play to its role as a 'change driver' to drive CM development in Hong Kong and in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area through close collaboration with the CM sector and stakeholders, as well as to assist CM services to go global, thereby contributing to the national development of CM."

     CMHHK is a hospital controlled by the Health Bureau and not a public hospital managed by the Hospital Authority under the Hospital Authority Ordinance (Chapter 113). The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong Ordinance (Chapter 655), which took effect in May this year, ensures the smooth daily operation of the hospital. CMHHK will also collaborate with public and private healthcare institutions to provide quality CM services for members of the public.

Clinical services of CMHHK

     In the first year, CMHHK will provide outpatient and day-patient services and fully launch six specialised CM services, namely Internal Medicine in CM, External Medicine in CM, Gynaecology in CM, Paediatrics in CM, Orthopaedics and Traumatology in CM, and Acupuncture and Moxibustion in CM. It will also provide 12 special disease programmes including those for elderly degenerative diseases and stroke rehabilitation.

     For outpatient services, government-subsidised services cover General Clinic, Specialised Clinic and Integrated Allied Health Clinic services, while market-oriented services cover Private Clinic and Integrated Allied Health Clinic services.

     Day-patient services also cover both government-subsidised services and market-oriented services. Twenty-five beds will be provided in the first year, primarily for CM cases requiring longer treatment time or more complicated procedures, providing patients with one-stop comprehensive multidisciplinary treatment.

     Inpatient services will mainly commence from the second year, with other services expanding year by year, including the remaining 11 special disease programmes. It is expected that by the end of 2030, CMHHK will provide full inpatient services with 400 patient beds, as well as outpatient services of 400 000 annual attendance.

     CMHHK's government-subsidised services, which are accessible to eligible Hong Kong citizens, will account for 65 per cent of the hospital's total service volume, demonstrating the Government's commitment to public health. The hospital will also provide market-oriented services to foster positive interaction with the private market.

Service highlights

     The services of CMHHK will feature the following highlights:

(i) Specialised CM services and special disease progarmmes: Adhering to the principle of "Pursuing speciality in specialised CM services and exceling in special disease programmes", the hospital will pool talent, experience, knowledge and techniques to focus on the development of key areas where CM has distinct advantages, offering effective treatment outcomes for members of the public.

(ii) CM playing the predominant role and ICWM: The hospital is committed to preserving and inheriting CM theory and practice, while also developing evidence-based innovative treatment plans for pure CM services and services with CM playing the predominant role. The hospital will also actively develop an ICWM service model, combining the strengths of both Chinese and Western medicines to formulate treatment plans, supplemented by multidisciplinary healthcare teams, thereby providing comprehensive and optimal clinical support for patients.

(iii) Galaxy of talent: The hospital will bring together an elite team of Hong Kong, the Mainland, and international CM expert teams across multiple disciplines at the hospital to participate in short-term services, training, and research, leveraging their outstanding capabilities to drive the hospital's development.

(iv) Personalised services: The hospital will uphold the traditional CM philosophy of "treatment based on pattern differentiation". Through providing wholehearted services together with professional and precise analysis, the hospital will tailor-make personalised care services for patients to resolve their problems. 

Fee arrangements

     CMHHK will take on the role of a "change driver", driving the development of the CM market with a primary focus on "develop and transfer". CMHHK has fully considered factors such as market prices, public affordability and service costs when formulating its service fee models, with a view to ensuring members of the public can access the services at reasonable and affordable prices.

     The hospital adopts fee models including package charges, simplified itemised charges and combined charges to enhance fee transparency, enabling members of the public to easily understand the fee arrangements and manage their healthcare expenses. This approach also encourages members of the public to select services according to their actual needs and make optimal use of resources. A medical fee waiver mechanism will be in place in CMHHK. Specified patient groups will be eligible for a full fee waiver. Other patients facing financial hardship and cannot afford the medical expenses may also apply to the hospital for fee waiver.

     To encourage citizens in need to experience the services of the first CM hospital in Hong Kong, CMHHK will offer a special experience discount in its first year of operation. Selected designated services will be offered at a promotional rate of 10 per cent to 30 per cent off the original price.

     Fees for subsidised services and market-oriented services are listed at Annex 1 and Annex 2.
 
Information and appointment booking

     CMHHK has launched its new website (www.cmhhk.org.hk). Members of the public can make appointments via the website or the hotline (3121 3121) from November 1 onwards. Moreover, members of the public can make appointments through the hospital mobile application to be launched on December 1. In-person appointments can be made at CMHHK from December 11 onwards. In addition, members of the public are welcome to join the open day activities organised by the hospital with details to be announced in due course.

     Located at 1 Pak Shing Kok Road in Tseung Kwan O, CMHHK adopts a public-private partnership model with its construction fully funded by the Government. Hong Kong Baptist University was selected as the Contractor through tendering procedures in 2021 and it subsequently incorporated a company as the Operator responsible for the overall services of the hospital, including its management, operation, and maintenance, according to a service deed. Funding arrangements for subsidised services, education and training, and research, as well as the overall fee setting, are all executed in accordance with the service deed signed among the Government, the Contractor and the Operator.

Ends/Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Issued at HKT 18:02

NNNN