Endoscopy at Public Hospitals

Hi there,


My husband needs to have an endoscopy done, and we were wondering if it is possible to have it done at a Public Hospital in HK? If so, where and how? Thanks!

You can have an gastroscopy done at a specialist clinic, they will give you spray for the throat, and a bit of sedative. However, if you have sedative, you will need someone to accompnay you back home. If you need to have a coloonoscopy, then this can (but not always) be done in a public hospital as a day case. If you go to a private practitioner he/she will expect you to be admitted to a private hospital for at least one night. If you want to go private, you can a referral to a specialist at a hospital and they will do it as a private case. It laregely depends on your condition and age and other factors. For colonoscopy some preparation of the bowel is required and some blood tests. For a gastroscopy, the procedure can be done quickly with the back of themouth sprayed with lignocaine and a thin gastrocope is passed down into your stomach. it is a bit uncomfortable, but fast and the risk is low.

Do you need a referral to have colonscopy done in public hospital?

Yes, either a referral from your private family doctor or through one of the many government family clinics that pepper HK. You will then be placed on a waiting list to see the doctors in the outpatients who will then prioritise your need. May take several months to 1 year, depends on how urgent your situation is. If extremely urgent pitch up to the AED and they may be able to expedite the process but only if you have something really urgent like bleeding from the bowel, a blockage ect.

I did it through Public Hospital, with reference and consulting with the specialists it took about 6 months. But the proceedure was quick admitted at 8 am and walking out at 12 noon must say I had the longest flatulance ever after the proceedure