Hong Kong Chinese Medicine Hospital to Launch 24-Hour Inpatient Services in December
The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong will launch 24-hour inpatient services on December 11, charging government-subsidized patients HK$980 per day, according to announcements made on Tuesday by the Health Bureau and the hospital. Operating as the city’s first dedicated traditional Chinese medicine hospital, the facility will initially offer 93 inpatient beds while scaling up clinical trial and high-dependency capacity.
Phased Rollout of Inpatient Beds and Pricing Structure
The round-the-clock inpatient care will roll out in phases to accommodate both government-subsidized and market-oriented services.
Government-subsidized inpatient care comes with a package rate of HK$980 (US$125) per day. This fee covers accommodation, ward rounds by Chinese and Western medicine practitioners, Chinese medicine treatments, general examinations, and basic medications. In addition to standard ward beds, the hospital will allocate 20 beds to its Clinical Trial and Research Centre and two high-dependency beds. Hospital planners project that total inpatient capacity will scale up to reach 400 beds by the end of 2030.
Expansion of Outpatient Quotas and Specialized Disease Programs
Annual outpatient capacity is projected to rise significantly, climbing from 140,000 attendances in the hospital’s first year to more than 260,000 in its second year. Concurrently, day-patient beds will increase from 25 to 35. To support this clinical expansion, the hospital is rolling out 10 additional special disease programs across September and November. These targeted programs will address conditions, including eczema and Parkinson’s disease.
Diagnostic Upgrades and Insurance Integration
Diagnostic capabilities at the facility will expand to match the growth in inpatient and outpatient volumes. The hospital is strengthening its diagnostic imaging suites—incorporating computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and ultrasound—alongside pathology laboratory services.
Financial coverage for patients is also set to evolve. Beginning next year, inpatient services delivered at the Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong will be covered under the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme.
This expansion marks a definitive shift in the local healthcare landscape, moving traditional therapeutics firmly into the realm of secondary and tertiary care. Managing the structural demands of a 24-hour medical facility requires robust institutional coordination.