Programme Introduction

The General Outpatient Clinic Public-Private Partnership Programme (GOPC PPP) was launched by the Hospital Authority (HA) in mid-2014 with aims to provide choice to patients for receiving primary care services from the private sector, enhance patient access to primary care services, promote family doctor concept, help the HA manage demand for general outpatient service and foster the development of the territory-wide Electronic Health Record Sharing System (eHRSS). The Programme has now been implemented in all 18 districts of Hong Kong.

Patients fulfilling pre-defined clinical criteria and programme requirements and who have been attending HA Outpatient Clinic for at least 12 months will be invited for voluntary participation. All registered private doctors are welcome to participate in this Programme.

Each participating patient will receive up to 10 subsidised visits per year, including medical consultations covering both chronic and episodic illnesses; drugs for treating their chronic conditions and episodic illnesses to be received directly from private doctors at their clinics; and investigation services provided by HA as specified through private doctors’ referral.

Under the Programme, participating patients only need to pay the HA GOPC fee of $50 (as per Gazette) for each consultation. A participating patient who is eligible for a waiver under the criteria set out in the Notice on Waiver Arrangement in Programme’s website may enjoy the same fee waiver arrangement as for HA’s service when he/she attends the private doctors for services under the scope of the Programme. Under mutual agreement, individual patients may receive further services and treatment at their own expenses. Those who have participated in the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme can meet such additional charges from their Health Care Voucher accounts.

For service provision, participating private doctors may receive a maximum total payment of $3,660 per year (on a reimbursement basis), covering a maximum of 10 consultations, including the HA GOPC fee of $50 to be paid by the patients to the private doctors direct after each consultation. For eligible waiver patients, the HA will bear the GOPC fee.