‘There are trade-offs’: how Hong Kong patients can use telemedicine wisely
In the fourth instalment of a five-part Health Matters wellness series on Hong Kong’s growing wellness trends, Lo Hoi-ying examines how telehealth is reshaping access to care, as practitioners warn it cannot fully replace in-person diagnosis. Hong Kong housewife Chan Ket-yee, nearly 60, has battled severe eczema on her neck and underarms for decades. Splitting her time between the United Kingdom…
Telemedicine in Hong Kong has become an increasingly popular means of accessing healthcare, particularly for chronic conditions like eczema. While telehealth allows patients to manage their care seamlessly across time zones, practitioners warn that it cannot fully replace in-person diagnosis. Chan Ket-yee, a Hong Kong housewife, has experienced the benefits of telemedicine in managing her severe eczema.
She utilizes digital channels to communicate with her UK-based nutritionist, receiving advice on gut health and supplementation through WhatsApp video calls. However, some traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners in Hong Kong emphasize the importance of face-to-face consultations for trust-building and certain diagnostic procedures.
They argue that while telemedicine offers convenience, it lacks the direct and personal rapport established during in-person interactions, especially with children and their parents. In Hong Kong, around 3% of TCM patients use online consultation services, primarily due to busy schedules. The demand for telemedicine in Hong Kong has grown steadily since the pandemic, with the Hospital Authority reporting a 33% increase in telehealth cases in the past financial year.
Online consultations are particularly beneficial for patients with mobility issues or those studying and working abroad. However, telemedicine also has its limitations, as practitioners must ensure proper setup and adequate lighting for accurate diagnoses.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post - Hong Kong's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
