Hong Kong public hospital emergency waiting times set to rise in coming weeks
Hospital Authority manager says surge expected even before winter flu season sets in; another official says ageing population may be to blame
Cluster performance chief manager Dr Ian Cheung said he expected longer waiting times after the four-day Christmas break from Saturday to Tuesday. He said the peak winter surge time in public hospitals was expected to be close to the Lunar New Year holidays at the end of January.
“We advise those with less urgent needs to consider private and public out-patient services,” he said.
Inpatient bed occupancy at public hospitals reached 101 per cent from December 6 to 19. The highest occupancy rate – recorded just before midnight on Monday – was 121 per cent at Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin, followed by United Christian Hospital in Kwun Tong with 117 per cent and Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tei with 116 per cent.
In the same period, emergency attendance on one day hit 6,635, compared with an average of 5,900 during normal times. On the busiest day during the winter flu season earlier this year, there were 6,872 visits.
The last winter flu season began in January, peaked around late February and ended in May, according to the Centre for Health Protection. Severe influenza-associated complications were diagnosed in 403 adults and 27 people aged below 18. A total of 205 adults and three youngsters died in private and public hospitals.
