Hong Kong’s health minister has warned that creating a separate accreditation system for telemedicine doctors from those conducting in-person consultations could cause confusion, following a consumer watchdog’s call for increased supervision.
Speaking on Saturday, Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau urged patients seeking online consultations not to prioritise convenience over quality.
He also reiterated his commitment to making progress with new tobacco control proposals, rejecting suggestions from some lawmakers to delay the bill’s vetting process.
“Telemedicine should be provided by qualified medical professionals who are certified and registered; all services they offer, be it face-to-face or telemedical consultations, should be monitored,” Lo told a radio programme.
“We felt that at this time if we use a different system, a different strategy, or even a separate list, as in a group of doctors for real-life consultations and another for remote, I think this could be chaotic and could affect the quality and safety.”
Lo’s remarks came after the Consumer Council called for establishing a voluntary accreditation mechanism for telemedicine service providers that meet certain requirements, including data security and privacy protection.
