Hong Kong citizens may be missing out on the benefits of healthcare provided across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
A three-year study led by researchers from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) investigated what is called "cross-border healthcare" in the megalopolis consisting of nine cities and two special administrative regions of China.
The research team conducted surveys, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions with over 3,000 respondents, including Hong Kong citizens, healthcare professionals, and government officials.
WHY IT MATTERS
Based on their findings, Hong Kong citizens were ill-informed about the healthcare provided across the region. They lack a clear understanding of services from mainland health systems, which fuels reluctance and apprehension.
It was also found that health system experiences differ between users and non-users: While users cite shorter waiting times as a benefit, they still raise issues of affordability and coverage, whereas non-users are most worried about unfamiliar procedures and unpredictable costs.
Moreover, fragmented service models and uncoordinated policies limit access to cross-border healthcare, even for those with prior experience in the mainland, fluent in Mandarin, and proactive in their healthcare.
To address these challenges, according to the researchers, an immediate priority is to establish a cross-border healthcare information platform to improve transparency and accessibility. The HKU research team is currently developing the Healthy GBA information platform and plans to launch its web version soon.
Other priorities include expanding insurance coverage and subsidies, leveraging underutilised capacity in mainland hospitals to reduce waiting times for Hong Kong residents, developing diversified service models tailored to different socioeconomic groups, and expanding cross-border healthcare services with focus on Shenzhen and Guangzhou.
The researchers also suggested establishing a long-term governance framework, which involves a dedicated policy framework to govern cross-border healthcare, covering quality control, professional licensing, and data sharing.
The framework may also include strengthening coordination between Hong Kong’s public and private sectors and mainland healthcare systems, facilitating two-way healthcare resource flows, and integrating cross-border healthcare with elderly care, education, and tourism.
THE LARGER CONTEXT
Early this year, a medical data space for China’s Greater Bay Area was set up to enable secure health data exchange across the region. It aims to streamline services and promote medical collaboration for research.
It follows the recent formation of a 12-member digital health alliance led by the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, which laid the groundwork for the region's health data exchange. It also aligns with China’s four-year Trusted Data Space Development Action Plan, which targets to pilot over a hundred trusted data spaces by 2028 to drive collaboration and economic value.
