My Take | No will to tackle Hong Kong’s private hospitals
As patients struggle to find a bed in our public hospitals, private ones are often underused. But it is unlikely that the government will force more private hospitals to offer a percentage of patients services with set prices
The government has a habit of making generous land grants to private clubs, international schools and private hospitals, a policy that dates back to the colonial era.
All three have evolved into sectors providing privileges for the wealthy elites using public resources. While they are not the causes of extreme inequality in Hong Kong, they contribute to them. If land is in short supply, this land grant policy needs to be radically revamped.
Recent focus has been on private clubs, especially the 170-hectare Fanling golf course run by the exclusive Hong Kong Golf Club, and to a lesser extent, on international schools. But this land issue with private hospitals is as relevant, if not more so, in light of the shortage of public doctors and hospital beds.
Of the 11 long-standing private hospitals, five operate on government sites granted at nil or token premium.
This supposedly allows the government to stipulate operating conditions, such as allotting a minimum number of “cheap” beds for general public use, and reinvesting all extra profits into upgrading facilities. The latter is because private hospitals are, supposedly, non-profit and tax-exempt charities.
Yet, only two such private hospitals have a minimum public bed requirement. Unsurprisingly, they don’t advertise it. It is also not clear how strictly the Health Department enforces the rule.