Hong Kong can save HK$90,000 per patient with better end-of-life care: think tank

Hong Kong can save more than HK$90,000 (US$11,470) per patient in medical expenses if the city provided better measures to allow more residents to receive support and die at home or in care facilities, a local think tank has said, calling on the government to develop a plan framework for people in their last days.

Our Hong Kong Foundation on Thursday released a research report on end-of-life care and proposed five key recommendations in stepping up support to allow dying patients to spend their days outside hospitals.

“If we have a comprehensive end-of-life care system, it could help reduce the usage of hospital services,” said Ryan Ip Man-ki, vice-president of the foundation.

If the city adopted the model allowing dying patients to be managed outside the hospital, the healthcare system could save HK$91,460 per individual on their medical expenses, the foundation said, citing data from an ongoing Hong Kong Jockey Club programme supporting end-of-life care in the community.

The Jockey Club programme was found to help reduce hospitalisation by 11.91 days, accident and emergency admissions by 0.95 times, and intensive care unit stays by 0.29 days.

Hong Kong was working towards giving dying patients more choices in their medical care. Last year, the city passed legislative amendments in which residents who died in residential care homes for the elderly and met other criteria were no longer required to be reported to the coroner’s court.

Legislation was also passed in 2024 to legally empower patients to state their medical care wishes on their last days in advance directives.