SECONDARY, tertiary and specialized health-care services are available mainly at the Hospital Authority’s hospitals and specialist clinics. In 2014-15, the authority spent about HK$42.9 billion (US$5.51 billion) on specialist outpatient and inpatient services.

At the end of 2015, there were 27,895 public hospital beds, comprising 21,587 general beds, 2,041 infirmary beds, 3,607 beds for the mentally ill and 660 beds for the mentally handicapped. In addition, there were 4,014 private hospital beds, 5,498 in nursing homes and 880 in institutions run by the Correctional Services Department. There are 5.22 beds per 1,000 people.

Spending on secondary, tertiary and specialized healthcare services in both the public and private sectors amounted to about HK $55.5 billion in 2012-13, of which spending on public specialist outpatient and inpatient services accounted for 74 percent.

In 2014-15, about HK$9.6 billion was spent on secondary and tertiary ambulatory medical services provided by the Hospital Authority’s specialist clinics. The clinics cover a wide range of specialties, including internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, orthopedics and traumatology, ear, nose and throat, ophthalmology, psychiatry, neurosurgery, oncology and cardio-thoracic surgery.

In 2015, the Hospital Authority’s specialist outpatient clinics recorded more than 7.3 million visits. Appointments for new patients were made on the basis of the severity of their clinical condition in order to ensure patients with acute conditions were given priority. Patients in stable condition are referred to primary care practitioners in the private sector or the Hospital Authority’s general outpatient clinics for follow-up.