Post-Covid public healthcare in Hong Kong must go beyond a return to normality

The Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to a standstill, and the Hong Kong Hospital Authority was no exception. Despite facing unprecedented and daunting challenges, the Hospital Authority has been striving to fight Covid-19, while enhancing services and improving the sustainability of public healthcare at the same time.

The Hospital Authority Board’s task group on sustainability suggested different strategies with a focus on increasing services through human capital, hospital development plans and decreasing demand by moving towards the more efficient “Smart Care”, to empower patients, keep them healthy in the community and reduce their need for hospitalisation or specialised medical care.

Manpower shortages have always been a significant challenge for the Hospital Authority. Over the years, we have been managing the situation and introducing measures to attract, develop and retain talent.

Measures have been formulated and implemented to further refine employment-related policies and procedures. Recruitment strategies have been fine-tuned and more flexible employment options have been introduced, promotion prospects and career ladders have been enhanced, and remuneration packages reviewed.

Digitalisation in healthcare, automation, artificial intelligence and robotics are moving at unprecedented speed and this has been further accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic. The broader use of AI and machine learning will be indispensable in epidemiological prevention, identifying patients at risk and improving efficiency. It also facilitates automation of tasks so that clinical teams can concentrate more on higher-priority and added-value work.

Over the past few years, with the development of HA Go, the “digital front door” for Hospital Authority services has gradually opened and virtual services such as teleconsultation and drug deliveries during the pandemic were well accepted by the general public.