Non-emergency cases at the Hospital Authority’s 18 emergency departments fell 17.5% in the first nine months of 2026, according to figures in a Health Bureau reply to a written question from legislator Chan Hak-kan. The public-hospital fee reform measures took effect in January.
The departments recorded 1,404,504 attendances over the nine months, 0.9% fewer than in the same period of 2025. The 30-minute treatment target was met in 88.4% of urgent cases.
Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau said the figures showed the reform was diverting non-emergency patients and improving service efficiency for critically ill patients.
By 30 September, the Hospital Authority had received 331,951 applications for medical-fee waivers and approved 300,285, a rate of more than 90%. Asked whether fee waivers should be expanded to cover Old Age Living Allowance recipients aged 65 to 74, Lo said the government had to weigh the proposal carefully. He said more than 830,000 people received the allowance by mid-2025 and that automatically granting full waivers without further eligibility checks would add more than 450,000 people immediately, increasing pressure on the sustainability of public healthcare.
Lo said adding late-night or overnight outpatient clinics would not be cost-effective and would put further pressure on healthcare staffing. The Hospital Authority has no current plan for a 24-hour remote medical advice line, he said: telephone or online assessments may lack clinical information available in person and raise concerns about service quality and patient safety.