The Government said today it has started taking forward the Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme by conducting market research with Hong Kong medical institutions participating in the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme.

The Department of Health invited those Hong Kong medical institutions to provide for the Government's reference, the information and operational details of medical institutions which are set up, being operated or supervised by them in the Greater Bay Area (GBA).

The targets of the market research are Hong Kong medical institutions which are participants of the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme and familiar with its proper practices and claim procedures.

Moreover, at least one large-scale medical institution should be set up or be operated by the relevant Hong Kong medical institutions in the GBA to provide integrated medical and primary healthcare services or dental outpatient services for the elderly.

Meanwhile, among the persons-in-charge, directors or senior management of that GBA medical institution, there should be at least one Hong Kong registered medical practitioner or registered dentist.

The criteria for selecting medical institutions for the pilot scheme include the location of the GBA medical institution, the availability of proven quality accreditation, relevant experiences in management and operation, its familiarity with the operation of Elderly Health Care Vouchers as well as its ability to provide and handle a certain amount of outpatient healthcare services.

The Government will also invite relevant Mainland authorities to recommend medical institutions suitable for inclusion in the pilot scheme.

The Policy Address put forward the pilot scheme initiative to extend the coverage of the Elderly Health Care Vouchers to suitable medical institutions in the GBA next year.

The preliminary target is to cover about five additional medical institutions as trial service points for providing primary healthcare services at GBA cities where Hong Kong elderly have closer ties with as well as to include individual designated medical institutions providing dental services in places such as Shenzhen.