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Healthcare Service Providers

Background of DHC

The Chief Executive's Policy Address

In the 2017 Policy Address, the Chief Executive directed that, to further illustrate the effectiveness of medical-social collaboration in providing primary healthcare services, the Food and Health Bureau (FHB) should set up a pilot District Health Centre (DHC) with a brand new operation mode in Kwai Tsing District within two years. The Government will provide funding for the centre according to the needs and characteristics of the district. The planned DHC will make use of the local network to procure services from organisations and healthcare personnel serving the district so that the public can receive necessary care in the community. With the experience gained from the pilot scheme, the Government will progressively set up DHCs in all 18 districts.

The DHC aims to raise public awareness on personal health management, enhance disease prevention, and strengthen medical and rehabilitation services in the community, thereby reducing unwarranted use of hospital services. The services being considered for the DHC (and through its local network) include health promotion, health screening for target groups, case management, care coordination and community rehabilitation.

Key Functions and Features of DHC

Key Functions

A service / resource hub

Health promotion

Disease prevention and screening

Chronic disease management

Community rehabilitation

Key Features
1
Community based services
  • Convenient location of Core Centre and Satellite Centres
2
District based services
  • Scope of DHC service based on the needs and the characteristics of the district
3
Public private partnership
  • Appointment of a DHC Operator (a non-governmental organization) through open tender
  • Purchase of services from private service providers
  • Foundation of a network
4
Medical social collaboration
  • Members of the core team include:
    • Executive director
    • Chief care coordinator (Nurse)
    • Care coordinator (Nurse)
    • Physiotherapist
    • Occupational therapist
    • Dietitian
    • Pharmacist
    • Social worker
    • Administrative staff
  • Multidisciplinary care approach
5
Outreach service

Scope of Service

Health Promotion
  • Healthy Diet
  • Physical Activity
  • Weight Management
  • Fall Prevention
  • Smoking Cessation
  • Alcohol Consumption
  • Sleep Hygiene
  • Mental Well-being
Health Assessment
  • Health Risk Factors Assessment
  • Screening for Diabetes Mellitus/Hypertension
Chronic Disease Management
  • Diabetes Mellitus
  • Hypertension
  • Musculoskeletal Disorder (Low back pain or Degenerative knee pain)
Community Rehabilitation
  • Hip Fracture
  • Post-Acute Myocardial Infarction
  • Stroke

Client Journey

Client Journey

Enrolment to DHC Network

  • The DHC Operator will procure services from non-government entities in the community and form the DHC network. The DHC network service providers include Medical Practitioners, allied health professionals (physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, podiatrists, speech therapists, optometrists) and Chinese Medicine Practitioners. To enhance the accessibility of clients to DHC services, healthcare practitioners from nearby districts can also join the DHC network. For the Kwai Tsing DHC, these are the Tsuen Wan, Sha Tin, and Sham Shui Po districts.
  • The Government will offer subsidies for the provision of DHC network services. The DHC Operator will contract separately with the network service providers.

  • Criteria for enrolment:
    • Medical Practitioners and Chinese Medicine Practitioners must be listed in the Primary Care Directory of the Primary Healthcare Office (PHO) of the Food and Health Bureau.
    • To facilitate choice of the client and to enhance transparency of DHC service charging, Medical Practitioners are required to list out its standard DHC medical consultation charge.
    • Network service providers including Medical Practitioners, Chinese Medicine Practitioners, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, optometrists, podiatrists and speech therapists must enrol in the eHRSS. Clinical information will be shared in the eHRSS to ensure continuity and coordination of care.
    Profession Requirement
    Medical Practitioner
    • Listed in the Primary Care Directory; and
    • Agree to disclose basic consultation fee under the DHC scheme for clients' information
    Chinese Medicine Practitioner
    • Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioner listed in the Primary Care Directory
    Occupational Therapist
    • Part I registered Occupational Therapist
    Optometrist
    • A degree of Optometry from a local university or equivalent; and
    • Part I registered Optometrist
    Physiotherapist
    • Part IA registered Physiotherapist
    Dietitian
    • A post-graduate diploma in dietetics or a degree of Science in dietetics, inclusive of an internship, or equivalent;
    • Listed in the Hong Kong Academy of Accredited Dietitians; and
    • Agree to accept Elderly Health Care Voucher under Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme District Health Centre
    Podiatrist
    • A degree in Podiatry, Podiatric Medicine or Podiatric Studies, or equivalent; and
    • Agree to accept Elderly Health Care Voucher under Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme District Health Centre
    Speech Therapist
    • A degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences from a local university or equivalent;
    • Registered with the Hong Kong Institute of Speech Therapists; and
    • Agree to accept Elderly Health Care Voucher under Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme District Health Centre
  • Referral mechanism for DHC network service

    • A client referred by Medical Practitioners for individual healthcare professional service will make his/her choice of network service provider from a list of enrolled healthcare professionals. Staff of the DHC will facilitate arrangement of appointment accordingly.

News and Events

Press here for details.

Training

Training Funding Scheme for Healthcare Professionals
Background

To facilitate the territory-wide rollout of District Health Centres (DHCs), training for healthcare professionals is essential to ensure comprehensive understanding of the concept of the DHC network and multidisciplinary care coordination. It is also necessary to enhance the knowledge and skills of primary healthcare doctors and other healthcare professionals for provision of primary healthcare services in support of DHCs as well as playing a more active role in the development of primary healthcare for Hong Kong. Training subsidies are offered by the Government as an incentive to encourage more healthcare professionals to enrol in the related training courses supporting primary healthcare development in Hong Kong.

Doctors
Training Course(s)

An amount of HK$5,500 will be reimbursed to each eligible doctor participant after having satisfactorily completed one of the following courses:

Letter to Doctors for the Training Funding Scheme can be downloaded here.

Eligibility Criteria for Application of the Training Subsidy
  • Registered medical practitioners in Hong Kong who enrol in the Certificate Course in Essential Family Medicine (CCEFM) or the Diploma Course in Family Medicine (DFM) for 2020-2021 having satisfied the corresponding course requirements and are awarded the certificate of CCEFM or DFM by the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians.
  • A doctor participant is not eligible to apply for course fee subsidisation under the "Training Funding Scheme for Healthcare Professionals" if he / she was granted reimbursement of course fee from the Food and Health Bureau for the CCEFM 2019-2020 previously.
Reimbursement Procedures
  1. Upon award of certificate, the subsidy application form will be enclosed by the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians (HKCFP) for the course participants;
  2. The course participants should submit the application form to the Primary Healthcare Office (PHO) of the Food and Health Bureau;
  3. The final approval of the reimbursement is at the discretion of the Government;
  4. PHO will arrange payment of subsidy to course participants through HKCFP;
  5. Course participants may be required to acknowledge receipt of subsidy to HKCFP.
Nurses
Training Course(s)

An amount of HK$3,000 will be reimbursed to each eligible nurse participant after having satisfactorily completed the following course:

Letter to Nurses for the Training Funding Scheme can be downloaded here.

Eligibility Criteria for Application of the Training Subsidy
  • Registered nurses in Hong Kong who enrol in the Post-registration Certificate Course in Primary Healthcare Nursing (DHC Module) (CCPHN-DHC) for 2020-2021 having satisfied the course requirements and are awarded the certificate of CCPHN-DHC by the Hong Kong Academy of Nursing Limited.
Reimbursement Procedures
  1. Upon award of certificate, the subsidy application form will be enclosed by the Hong Kong Academy of Nursing Limited (HKAN) for the course participants;
  2. The course participants should submit the application form to HKAN;
  3. The final approval of the reimbursement is at the discretion of the Government;
  4. Primary Healthcare Office will arrange payment of subsidy to course participants through HKAN;
  5. Course participants may be required to acknowledge receipt of subsidy to HKAN.
Other Notes
  • Applicants shall not obtain any other public funds or assistance under any other publicly funded financial assistance scheme for the fees to be reimbursed for the same course.
  • Training institutions may approach the Primary Healthcare Office if they are interested in providing DHC-related training courses for primary healthcare doctors and other healthcare professionals.
Enquiry

Email: pho@fhb.gov.hk

Training Material - DHC Induction Course
Background

In preparation for the opening of the Kwai Tsing DHC (K&TDHC), the Primary Healthcare Office (PHO) organised a K&TDHC Induction Course which consisted of two half-day programmes for the K&TDHC staff and network service providers. The induction course acted as a springboard to equip healthcare providers of the K&TDHC with principles and hands-on knowledge on the operation of the K&TDHC. The topics and presentation materials are listed below.

17 August 2019 - Session 1
Topic Presentation File
Principles of Primary Care Download
Provision of Life-long Care in the Primary Care Setting ;
Chinese and Western Medicine Practitioner Collaboration		 Download
The Roles and Responsibilities of Care Coordinators in DHC Download
Contribution of Allied Health Professionals in Primary Healthcare - Health Promotion, Disease Prevention, Chronic Disease Management and Community Rehabilitation Download
中醫服務在基層醫療中的作用 下載
7 September 2019 - Session 2
Topic Presentation File
Introduction of DHC Scheme Download
DHC Service and Client Journey Download
DHC IT system Download
Updates on eHRSS Please visit www.eHealth.gov.hk

Contact Us

E-mail: pho@fhb.gov.hk

FAQ

General Information
Q1: What is District Health Centre (DHC)?
A1: The DHC is a primary healthcare initiative of the Government. Through public-private partnership, medical-social collaboration, it provides district-based primary healthcare services aiming to:
  • enhance public awareness of disease prevention and their capability in self-management of health;
  • drive healthy lifestyle for prevention of chronic disease;
  • support the chronically ill to prevent deterioration; and
  • enhance client access to primary healthcare services.
Q2: How many centres are there for each DHC?
A2: Each DHC consists of a core centre and a few satellite centres, being the healthcare service and resource hub of the district.
Q3: What are the functions of the core and satellite centres?
A3: The core centre will offer primary healthcare services through individual service sessions and group intervention. It will provide primary, secondary and tertiary prevention programmes. The satellite centres will offer primary prevention programmes and other group activities.
Q4: When and where will the DHC Scheme be implemented?
A4: The first DHC will be launched in Kwai Tsing District and it will start operation in September 2019. The DHC scheme will be rolled out to other districts progressively.
Q5: Who will operate the DHC?
A5: The government will identify a non-governmental organization through open tender.
Q6: Which of the healthcare professionals will provide service in the DHC Network?
A6: The DHC network includes Medical Practitioners, Chinese Medicine Practitioners, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, pharmacists, optometrists, podiatrists and speech therapists.
Eligibility
Q1: What are the requirements for healthcare professionals to participate in the Scheme?
A1: Healthcare professionals practising in the corresponding and adjacent districts of the DHC can join the DHC network.
  • Medical Practitioners must be registered with the Medical Council of Hong Kong under Section 14 or 14A, hold a valid annual practising certificate and be listed in the primary care directory.
  • Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioners must be listed in the primary care directory.
  • The healthcare professionals have to be either a registered healthcare provider (HCP) for the Hong Kong Government’s (HKG) electronic Health Record Sharing System (eHRSS) or authorised by an HCP to access and use the eHRSS.
  • The healthcare professionals required to be registered under the Supplementary Medical Professions Ordinance must possess a valid practising certificate.
Q2: How can a healthcare professional enrol in the DHC network?
A2: Healthcare professionals can apply of their own volition or through the DHC Operator’s invitation. They need to provide appropriate supporting documents to the DHC Operator for enrolment. For enquiries, please contact the DHC Operator for further assistance.
Q3: Who are the target service clients of the Scheme?
A3: Residents in the district of the corresponding DHC.
Q4: Who is eligible to receive DHC service?
A4: An individual who
  • is a holder of the Hong Kong Identity Card issued under the Registration of Persons Ordinance (Cap. 177, the Laws of Hong Kong), except those who obtained their Hong Kong Identity Cards by virtue of a previous permission to land or remain in Hong Kong granted to him and such permission has expired or ceased to be valid; or a child who is a Hong Kong resident and under 11 years of age; and
  • agrees to enrol in the electronic Health Record Sharing System (eHRSS); and
  • is a resident in the district of the corresponding DHC.
Service Package and Fee
Q1: What services are included in the DHC Scheme?
A1: The Scheme includes primary, secondary and tertiary prevention programmes. Primary prevention programmes consist of health promotion and disease prevention activities. Secondary prevention includes screening for diabetes mellitus and hypertension in targeted group of clients. Targeted clients will attend Network Medical Practitioners for screening. Medical laboratory services will be procured by the DHC Operator. Tertiary prevention programmes cover chronic disease management and community rehabilitation. Individual allied health services are available for management of diabetes, hypertension, low back pain, osteoarthritic knee pain, stroke rehabilitation, hip fracture rehabilitation and phase 4 cardiac rehabilitation for post-acute myocardial infarction clients.
Q2: How much is the Service Fee under the Scheme?
A2: DHC Network Medical Practitioners will receive the basic consultation fee upon provision of DHC service, i.e. consultation for DM/HT screening/management. For individual allied health services including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietetic service, optometry assessment, speech therapy and podiatry, the healthcare professional will receive a fixed service fee as proposed by the DHC Operator and agreed by the government.
Q3: What will be the service fee?
A3: For the Kwai Tsing DHC, the service fee for individual healthcare service and the co-payment by the client will be proposed by the DHC Operator and are subject to agreement by the government.
Q4: Is there any limit on the number of subsidised healthcare service sessions?
A4: Yes, healthcare service sessions are provided based on clinical needs, and the maximum number of sessions for different DHC programmes has been set.
Q5: If all the subsidised sessions are consumed and further treatment is warranted, does the client need to pay for the extra service sessions?
A5: Beyond the maximum number of subsidised sessions, the client has to pay the fees charged by the Network Service Provider.
Q6: Does a client need to pay extra fees if he / she visits his / her Network Service Provider for services not covered in the DHC scheme?
A6: Under the Scheme, the DHC client can receive subsidised healthcare professional services for the targeted diseases within the scope as specified. Individual clients may receive additional service(s) or treatments at their own expenses.
Q7: Can elders who have participated in the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme use the vouchers for DHC services?
A7: Clients who have participated in the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme can pay for DHC services from their Health Care Voucher accounts.
Sharing of Information through eHRSS
Q1: Do all Network Service Providers need to participate in the eHRSS?
A1: To facilitate continuity of care, all DHC clients and Network Service Providers are required to enrol in the eHRSS, to enable clinical information sharing between service providers.
Others
Q1: Is referral required for services from Network Service Providers?
A1: Clients must obtain referral from Network Medical Practitioners to receive individual healthcare services, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, optometry assessment, dietetics, podiatry, speech therapy from the Network Service Providers.
Q2: Can a Network Service Provider request termination of his/her participation in the DHC network?
A2: Yes. If a Network Service Provider wishes to withdraw from the DHC network, he should give advance notice to the DHC Operator within a period specified by the Operator. The Network Service Provider shall ensure that all the scheduled services are delivered before the termination date.
Q3: If a Network Service Provider has moved to practise in another district, is he still eligible to be the Network Service Provider of the previously enrolled DHC network?
A3: A Network Service Provider will serve in the DHC network of the corresponding or nearby districts.
Amendment of Particulars
Q1: How can Network Service Providers update or amend their information after enrolling in the Scheme?
A1: Should there be any updates / changes made, in the future or thereafter, to the information previously provided in the Enrolment Application or that is pertinent to a Network Service Provider’s participation in this Scheme, please inform the DHC Operator immediately.
Note: The above FAQs for HCPs are for reference only. HCPs should refer to the Terms and Conditions of the DHC for details.
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