Push for Chinese and Western docs to share patient records

Henry Siu

The Liberal Party has called for Chinese and Western medical practitioners to share patients' records, following a survey revealing that many patients hesitate to inform their doctors about seeking Chinese treatments.

Integrated Chinese-Western medicine services under the Hospital Authority has expanded to 26 public hospitals across seven clusters so far.

The poll, which took in 2,043 people through random telephone interviews from July 19 to August 4, found that over 1,400 respondents were aged 60 or older, with about 70 percent seeing the integrated services as beneficial.

Results indicated that many patients consult both Chinese and Western doctors when ill: 80 percent have sought care from both, with about half noting that Western medicine tends to be more expensive.

Over half preferred Chinese medicine for services like X-rays and blood tests, while one fifth favored "Chinese medicine over Western medicine."

The Chinese Medicine Hospital is set to begin phased services by the end of next year and discussions are ongoing regarding the inclusion of these services in the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme.

Party vice chairman Michael Lee Chun-keung believes this integration may lower premiums by reducing costs associated with minor Western medical procedures.

Another vice-chairman, Frankie Yick Chi-ming, said sharing health records could address elderly patients miscommunicating their conditions.

"It would certainly benefit patients by reducing medical expenses," he said.

Chinese medical practitioner Li Ka-yan proposed that family doctors should offer a range of treatment options, allowing patients to choose between Chinese and Western medicine.