Private hospital in limbo after Hong Kong clinic’s HK$400,000 debt: lawmaker
Chan Hoi-yan also says legal ‘loopholes’ need to be addressed as Alliance Medical Group’s suspected shutdown could be ‘tip of iceberg’
A private hospital and a medical centre in Hong Kong have been left in a difficult position after the suspected abrupt closure of Alliance Medical Group left unpaid bills of more than HK$400,000 (US$51,610) and patients without follow-up care, according to a lawmaker and a partner of the business.
The number of patients’ complaints, including from parents who paid in advance for their children’s vaccination packages, lodged with authorities and the Consumer Council has reached more than 2,000 so far.
Lawmaker Chan Hoi-yan, a member of the Legislative Council’s health services panel, called on the government on Monday to address legal “loopholes”, arguing that the medical group might be “just the tip of the iceberg, given the current economic climate”.
She said a private hospital, which declined to be named, was owed more than HK$400,000 by the business and was trying to contact affected patients to ensure they received the necessary follow-up care.
“The hospital’s laboratory has been receiving specimens from Alliance Medical Group for conducting tests on their behalf,” Chan said.
“Alliance doctors still ordered tests on April 22. This year’s bills are not yet repaid by Alliance, with the amount at least HK$400,000.”
The medical group offered services such as prepaid vaccination packages for children at its two clinics in Tsim Sha Tsui and Sha Tin.