Do not just seek convenience from telemedicine, warns Hong Kong health minister
Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau urges unified doctor accreditation to ensure telemedicine quality and safety amid calls for more oversight
Hong Kong’s health minister has warned that creating an accreditation system for telemedicine doctors separate from those conducting in-person consultations could cause confusion, after the city’s consumer watchdog earlier called for increased supervision.
Speaking on Saturday, Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau urged patients seeking online consultations not to prioritise convenience over quality.
He also reiterated his commitment to making progress with new tobacco control proposals, rejecting suggestions from some lawmakers to delay the bill’s implementation through negative vetting.
“Telemedicine should be provided by qualified medical professionals who are certified and registered; all services they offer, be it face-to-face or telemedical consultations, should be monitored,” Lo told a radio programme.
“We felt that at this time, if we use a different system, a different strategy, or even a separate list, as in a group of doctors for real-life consultations and another for remote, I think this could be chaotic and affect the quality and safety.”