Health officials have been talking with the Academy of Medicine about long-term plans to train enough specialists to keep the health-care system stable.
Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food York Chow Yat-ngok said a number of senior specialist doctors had left the public sphere in the past three years, partly due to the authority's early retirement plan.
Dr Chow said the government had no plans to invite mainland doctors to fill vacancies because of their different training.
'What we need to do is to map out the demand for different specialties, such as specialists in heart or renal diseases,' he said. 'We hope to see a clear plan to make sure there will be enough manpower to meet the demands of people. A clear picture would also help develop a clear career path for doctors.'
Hospital Authority chief executive William Ho Shiu-wei said many top specialists had left the authority following the Sars outbreak.
Dr Ho also warned of a severe imbalance between the public and private sectors.