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About HKCFP > President’s Message

April 2019

In relation to the Government’s current proposal to impose a total ban on electronic cigarettes, heat-notburn and other new tobacco products, the College is in full unison with the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine’s view in favour of the proposal. By using these new tobacco products, there is growing evidence that there would be higher health risks to the individuals. In addition to being an ineffective approach to smoking cessation, they may serve as a gateway for the younger generation to pick up cigarette smoking. Last but not least, more countries are prohibiting electronic cigarettes and other new tobacco products. So, for the sake of our next generations to come, no more e-cigarettes and related products please!

The Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme has been launched in Hong Kong since 2009. The Scheme is a "Money follows Patient" scheme which aims at enhancing the provision of primary care services for the elderly by providing them with financial incentives to facilitate their choice of private healthcare services that best suit their needs, including preventive care. 


It encourages elders to establish a long-term healthcare relationship with primary healthcare professionals through the use of vouchers for better health protection, promoting the family doctor concept. As we are all aware, the burden of chronic diseases is very heavy locally, especially among our elderly population. However, according to a recent review on the Scheme, some elders surveyed had never used the vouchers for managing their chronic diseases, nor for use in preventive care, which was a disappointment. On the other hand, the government had revealed that some elders had used up all their vouchers for a particular service, and hence they would be stepping up public education on the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme so that seniors will make use of their vouchers more effectively, which should be the way to go. The new initiatives in the 2019-20 budget, with an additional HK$1,000 voucher and lifting the accumulation ceiling from HK$5,000 to HK$8,000, are very much welcomed. Hopefully, the elders would be encouraged and facilitated to make better use of the vouchers for primary care services coordinated by family doctors for managing chronic illnesses and for disease prevention.

Prof. Valerie Wass, one of the World WONCA Executives and an expert in medical education from the United Kingdom, had visited Hong Kong in March. Thanks to Prof. Cindy Lam for facilitating Prof. Wass to meet with a group of medical students at the University of Hong Kong. The Council also met up with Prof. Wass and learned a great deal from one of the world leaders in medical education. After visiting Hong Kong, Prof. Wass continued her journey to Zhengzhou, Henan to participate in the 6th Cross-Strait Congress of General Practitioners (第六屆海峽兩岸全科醫學大會暨海醫會全科醫學分會第六屆學術年會) which a number of our College members also attended. The conference took place from 29 – 31 Mar 2019 at Zhengzhou. The theme of this congress was, “Seize the opportunity to deepen the integration and development of general practice” ( “科研引領,完善學科,共享全科醫學發展”). During the Congress, very useful experiences and expertise were shared and exchanged among the medical leaders from the Mainland, Taiwan, Macau, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Hong Kong, just to name a few. In addition, it was my great privilege, together with Prof. Donald Li and Dr. Lau Ho Lim, to present the HKCFP Donald Li Scholarship 2019, to 3 outstanding primary care doctors from the Mainland China, namely Dr. Qiu Yan, Dr. Qin Hongli, and Dr. Jin Hua. The Scholarship provides an opportunity for the recipients to have further family medicine exposure in Hong Kong.

HKCFP has been bridging and building closer ties with our counterparts not only in the Mainland China, but also with countries of the Asia Pacific Region. This year, we are co-organising the 4th Academy of Medicine of Malaysia - Academy of Medicine, Singapore - Hong Kong Academy of Medicine (AMM-AMS-HKAM) Tripartite Congress cum 53rd Singapore Malaysia Congress of Medicine & Hong Kong Primary Care Conference 2019. The Congress will be held from 6 – 8 December 2019 at the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine Building and its theme is entitled, “People-centred Care: Towards Value-based Innovations”. Many thanks to Dr. Angus Chan as the Congress Cochairman, and Dr. Lau Ho Lim, Dr. William Wong and Dr. Billy Chiu joining me as our College’s representatives in the Congress Organising Committee. Submissions to Full Paper Competition, Free Paper Competition and Clinical Case Presentation Competition are now open. We look forward to receiving your submissions and seeing you in the Congress in due course!

Dr. David V K CHAO

President


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