Advice to HK Expats, Residence and Prospective Residence

Patient abandonment is not uncommon in HK. A patient was abandoned during a time when she needed medical care, by the surgeon who operated on her and whom she had seen for years. She was deeply harmed by this and she is still receiving treatment from the harm incurred to her due to the abandonment.

She received the letter from the HK Medical Council recently, stating that doctors in HK have full right to refuse a patient and doctors are not obligated to communicate.

Knowing the system is like this, having surgery done in Hong Kong will be at our own risk. Doctors in HK can refuse to provide follow-up care and the Medical Ordinance allows this.

In addition, it is extremely difficult to obtain your own medical records in the private sector if a doctor refuses to give a copy of your records to you. There is no ordinance in HK to enforce doctors to respect and honor patient's rights. After two and half years with complaints submitted to PCPD and Medical Council, a patient is still fighting this battle.

Some doctors gave advice to the patient harmed by the abandonment, that she should seek second opinions or have surgery done in a country that has the medical ordinance to ensure patient's rights and that ethical standard can be enforced.

There is no solution in HK patients' not able to obtain their own records, other than suggesting to record doctors' consultation sections, as it is extremely difficult to obtain the medical records in the private sector when doctor's refuses.

I've lived in Hong Kong for over 30 years. During that time I've had several surgeries and hospital stays, and have known a number of friends and relatives who also have, and have never even HEARD of any such abandonment here. As in almost all developed countries, the medical industry is very powerful here, yet the government has instituted policies and statutes/laws ensuring certain patients' rights, including the right to certain records and information. Obviously anyone in the situation you describe is in bad shape, but it would not be the norm here at all.