Day Procedure Centres (DPCs, or Day Surgery Centres, as they’re also called) are changing the face of healthcare in Hong Kong, but there’s still some confusion about what exactly they do. Here’s everything you need to know about them, including what to look for in a DPC and the procedures performed in them.
What is a Day Procedure Centre?
Licensed by the Hong Kong Department of Health, Day Procedure Centres carry out various surgical procedures, and patients typically don’t stay in the DPC for longer than 12 hours. Staffed by medical doctors of various specialties, Day Procedure Centres have become popular in Hong Kong due to the cost benefits for procedures which don’t require an overnight stay.
Day Procedure Centres close the gap between hospitals and clinics and between the private and public medical sectors in Hong Kong, providing high quality and cost-effective alternatives for certain surgeries without a long wait, but with the premium service quality of private hospitals. Additionally, the Department of Health regulates these centres to assure their safety.
A Day Procedure Centre can run one or multiple types of procedures including:
- surgical
- endoscopic
- anaesthetic
- dental
- chemotherapy
- haemodialysis.
The Central Surgery is licensed to provide a number of services; all its endoscopy and surgical procedures in various specialties including Plastic Surgery, General Surgery, Gynaecology, Urology, Orthopaedics and Ear, Nose and Throat are performed by qualified/licensed doctors who are empathetic to their patients’ needs.
Equipped with an operating theatre and a procedure room for surgeries that require general anaesthesia, monitored anaesthetic care and local anesthesia, The Central Surgery is the only Day Procedure Centre in Hong Kong supported and operated by an international healthcare group, the renowned Ramsay Sime Darby Health Care (RSDH).
How Many Day Procedure Centres Are There in Hong Kong?
As of November 2021, there are 214 licensed Day Procedure Centres in Hong Kong. Only a few of these have operating theatres (like hospitals) and procedure rooms that can offer day surgeries.
What Should Patients Look For in a Day Procedure Centre?
Patients should be aware that many surgical/medical procedures should be conducted in licensed healthcare facilities for the sake of patient safety. Some who call themselves “Aesthetic Medical Centres” may not be licensed as DPCs. Some of their procedures or services may not be performed by medical doctors or appropriate specialists, and in fact, many of their staff may not be registered or enrolled nurses.
Changing the Healthcare Industry in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is witnessing a shift in health insurance coverage towards favouring day surgery. Nowadays, some people are looking for alternatives to hospitals for day surgeries and will opt for a DPC instead, due to a number of reasons:
- lower costs
- convenient locations
- Patients also do not have to worry about securing a hospital bed, alleviating the existing pressures on hospitals.
In fact, most surgeries for otherwise fit and healthy patients can be done as a day-only case, meaning that the entire process from check-in to discharge occurs within the same calendar day.
Anything that can save patients money amid notoriously high medical costs and get them back to their normal day-to-day lives quicker, and ease the burden on hospitals should be celebrated. Day Procedure Centres, including The Central Surgery, represent a new frontier in healthcare in Hong Kong, as people look for quicker, more convenient and affordable medical services.
The Central Surgery is conveniently located in Central. For details, please contact them at:
Email: [email protected]
Call: +852 2285 1900
Whatsapp: +852 5114 4685
Address: 3/F Champion Tower, 3 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong
This piece is written in partnership with The Central Surgery.
Related articles:
