HK doctor allegedly leaks patient data on Chinese social media

A post titled “Bizarre Cases” on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu has raised privacy concerns after a user claiming to be a doctor at a Hong Kong public hospital shared an image from the Hospital Authority’s internal electronic medical records system. The photo reportedly exposed sensitive personal information of an elderly patient, including medical history and discharge details.

The poster, who identified as a “Hong Kong doctor,” shared a selfie in July last year wearing a lab coat marked “QEH” (Queen Elizabeth Hospital) and complained about heavy workloads.

Although the leaked image did not show the patient’s name or contact information, it drew widespread online criticism for breaching professional ethics and patient confidentiality. The post was deleted on March 13.

A Kowloon Central Cluster spokesperson said they could not confirm whether the individual was a hospital doctor. The cluster emphasized that it takes patient privacy seriously and is reviewing the incident.

“If any staff member is found to have violated regulations, we will follow established procedures and refer the case to relevant authorities if necessary,” the spokesperson said.

The cluster reaffirmed that all staff must strictly follow patient privacy rules and that any disclosure is prohibited.

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data said it is aware of the incident and will follow up with the relevant institutions.