The Macao Union Hospital in Cotai, which officially opened last month, has announced that it expects to launch its mobile app at the end of this month for patients seeking treatment without referral from the Health Bureau (SSM), featuring various functions such as registering for walk-in treatment, making appointments for treatment, and checking their medical records.
The hospital has also said that it will gradually roll out more types of walk-in outpatient services for those without referral from the Health Bureau in the near future.
The Macao Union Hospital in south Cotai is officially known as Islands Healthcare Complex – Macao Medical Centre of Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH). It is operated by PUMCH in collaboration with the Macau government thanks to the central government’s support.
The Taipa and Coloane Community Service Consultative Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday last week asking representatives from the Macao Union Hospital to brief them about its ongoing expanding operations and provision of medical services.
The closed-door meeting was attended by Lei Wai Seng, a deputy director of the hospital, and Chong San San, a public relations (PR) staff member.
The Macao Union Hospital currently has three deputy directors, one from Macau and two from the mainland.
The hospital’s director is Wu Wenming, who is a vice-president of PUMCH.
Dr Lei, a senior official from the Macau Health Bureau, was appointed as a deputy director of the Macao Union Hospital early this year. He previously worked as a clinical director of the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre.
The healthcare complex, Macau’s largest hospital, started its trial operation in December last year. Since earlier this year, it has gradually launched different specialty medical services for patients referred by the Health Bureau.
3 charging models
The Macao Union Hospital has three charging schemes for patients. The first level is free medical services available to Macau residents who are eligible for free public health services. Upon referral from the Health Bureau, they can enjoy free medical services at the Macao Union Hospital.
The second level is fee-based medical services where Macau residents will have to pay but with a discount on the fees, either upon referral from the Health Bureau or without referral from the Health Bureau. Non-local residents such as non-resident workers (NRWs) will be charged the standard rates, the government has said.
The third level will consist of private health services providing locals and non-locals alike with high-end healthcare options with charges based on private market prices for high-end medical services.
The Macao Union Hospital said last month that Macau residents receiving the second-level-charging medical services will be offered a 30-percent discount.
Ng Hong Kei, a deputy convenor of the government-appointed council, and Wong Chon Kit, a member of the council, briefed reporters after last Tuesday’s closed-door meeting, which was held at the Seac Pai Van Community Complex in Coloane.
Ng and Wong quoted the hospital representatives as saying that in the near future the Macao Union Hospital will gradually roll out different types of walk-in outpatient services for those without referral from the Health Bureau. The hospital is now developing a mobile app for those seeking outpatient treatment without referral from the Health Bureau, providing functions such as registering for walk-in treatment, making appointments for treatment, checking their medical records, and paying their medical fees.
According to Ng and Wong, the hospital expects to launch its app at the end of this month. They quoted the hospital representatives as saying that the app’s function of registering for treatment will be available to those seeking walk-in outpatient treatment without referral from the Health Bureau in compliance with the hospital’s second-level charging scheme.
30-pct discount for locals, but not for medicines
Moreover, Ng and Wong also quoted the hospital representatives as saying that without a discount, the fees on the second-level charging scheme will be “close to” the levels of Macau’s private healthcare market, where, the representatives noted during the meeting, Macau residents will be offered a 30-percent discount while non-local residents such as NRWs and non-local students will be charged the standard rates.
However, according to Ng and Wong, the hospital representatives said during the meeting that the 30-percent discount to be offered to Macau residents will only apply to the fees for diagnosis, treatment and hospitalisation, while they will have to pay the standard fees for medicines.
According to Ng and Wong, the hospital representatives did not mention when third-level-charging high-end medical services will be launched.
Ng and Wong also quoted the representatives as saying that the Macao Union Hospital expects to have 400 staff in total at the end of this year, comprising 50 top executives and top specialists from Peking Union Medical College Hospital in Beijing and local health professionals as well as administrative staff and all other non-medical staff.
Taipa and Coloane Community Service Consultative Council Deputy Convener Ng Hong Kei (left) and member Wong Chon Kit look on during last Tuesday’s press briefing after the government-appointed council’s closed-door meeting on the sixth floor of the Seac Pai Van Community Complex, located in the sprawling public housing community in Coloane. – Photo: Tony Wong
