The Government today announced that seven medical institutions in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) have been included in the Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme.

Five of these medical institutions provide integrated services including dental services, while the other two are dental institutions.

The physical location of the medical institutions was one of the eight key factors the Government took into account when considering them for the pilot scheme.

Speaking at a press conference this morning, Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau said the pilot scheme aims to give seniors who have retired to or are living in the GBA easier access to healthcare facilities and make sure they can use the Elderly Health Care Voucher in their new place of residence.

Some of the selected medical institutions are in Shenzhen, including the two dental institutions.

“Some of the elderly living in Hong Kong may also choose to travel to the Greater Bay Area, especially (to) the nearby Shenzhen city, for healthcare service, in particular the dental service,” Pro Lo added.

The remaining factors for selecting medical institutions for the pilot scheme included service quality, experience in management and operation, service scope, service capacity, fee standards and level, knowledge of the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme and availability of advantageous services.

The health chief noted about 88,000 Hong Kong elderly residents are living in Greater Bay Area, but that no key performance indicators (KPIs) have been set for the scheme yet.

“Regarding how many of them will use the service, especially for the comprehensive medical services with the five new general hospitals (joining the scheme), we do not have any KPIs set at this point.”

The Department of Health is following up with the pilot medical institutions on issues such as personnel training and they are expected to launch the relevant arrangements under the scheme in the third quarter of this year.