The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong will begin offering hospitalisation services in December, with fees starting at three times those of public hospitals.

The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong. Photo: GovHK.

The Tseung Kwan O facility, which opened last December, will launch 24-hour inpatient care from December 11, authorities said on Tuesday. It currently provides only outpatient and day-patient services.

A total of 93 beds will be made available. This includes 60 government-subsidised beds, available to eligible Hong Kong residents, as well as 33 non-subsidised ones.

The hospital will also provide 20 beds under its Clinical Trial and Research Centre, and two high-dependency beds for patients who require closer observation and nursing care. The total number of beds is expected to reach 400 by the end of 2030.

The city’s first hospital dedicated to traditional Chinese medicine, the facility operates under a public-private partnership model. It is managed by a company set up by Hong Kong Baptist University, which was selected as the project contractor in 2021 following a government tender process.

Hong Kong Baptist University. Photo: GovHK.

The hospital uses two fee structures: one for subsidised services and another for more expensive “market-oriented services.”

Inpatient services will cost $980 under the subsidised scheme – more than three times the day charge for a public hospital bed, which is currently priced at HK$300.

For non-subsidised beds, fees range from HK$810 to HK$3,100 per day, depending on the room type. These rates do not include medical attendance or consultation, which start from HK$560 per visit.

More services expanded

In addition to launching inpatient services, the hospital will expand existing outpatient services, including those offered in its radiological diagnostic and pathology departments.

The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong. Photo: GovHK.

The hospital will also introduce 10 new special disease programmes in September and November, covering conditions such as eczema, Parkinson’s disease, and functional gastrointestinal disorders.

“By leveraging the strengths of Chinese medicine and the complementary advantages of Chinese and Western medicine, the multidisciplinary team of the hospital will provide patients with highly effective treatment to enhance clinical outcomes,” the government said in a statement.

Authorities predict that annual outpatient attendance will rise from 140,000 in the first year of operation to over 260,000 in the second year.