Lawmaker Wants Review Of Casualty Ward Fee

Medical sector lawmaker Pierre Chan has called on the government to review the fee hike at accident and emergency wards of government hospitals, saying it has not achieved much.

The government had increased the fee with the aim of reducing the rush at emergency wards, saying the higher amount would divert some patients to regular clinics.

After the price was increased from HK$100 to HK$180 last June, the number of people seeking treatment at casualty departments dropped by about 30,000 in the second half of the year, said Chan.

But he said this works out at an average of just 12 people per day at each emergency ward. The lawmaker said he wanted the authorities to review the fee increase.

Health Secretary Sophia Chan said the fee rise, partly carried out due to rising costs, has helped to some extent in reducing congestion in A&E departments.

Until 2002, treatment at the Hospital Authority’s accident and emergency departments was free of charge. The introduction of a HK$100 fee saw the number of patients using such services drop by 20 percent.