Asthma: should you see a respiratory specialist or an allergist? What the two specialties cover and how the Hospital Authority follows up asthma

What is the difference between Respiratory Medicine and Immunology & Allergy?

Respiratory Medicine is a specialty of adult internal medicine that deals with diseases of the lungs, the pleura (the thin membrane covering the lungs), the chest wall and the upper airway, and with problems of breathing regulation; Immunology & Allergy is a specialty of adult internal medicine that deals with diseases affecting the immune system (Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, Specialty Descriptions, April 2025). For children, Paediatric Respiratory Medicine and Paediatric Immunology, Allergy and Infectious Diseases are both branches of Paediatrics.

Which specialty follows up an individual asthma patient is decided by the treating doctor according to the patient's condition.

How does the Hospital Authority follow up asthma patients?

In the Hospital Authority, asthma patients with mild symptoms and a stable condition are generally followed up at general outpatient clinics; those who need frequent or special treatment, or have a record of hospital admission, are followed up at specialist outpatient clinics; treatment is decided according to the patient's clinical condition (Secretary for Food and Health's reply to the Legislative Council, June 2021). Since October 2025 general outpatient services and family medicine specialist outpatient services have been brought together under the name ‘Family Medicine Outpatient Services’, and general outpatient clinics have been renamed ‘Family Medicine Clinics’ (Government paper submitted to the Legislative Council, March 2026). Family Medicine Outpatient Services will focus on caring for underprivileged groups, which is the recommendation of the Primary Healthcare Blueprint (Government paper submitted to the Legislative Council, March 2026).

Long-acting bronchodilators and combination inhalers are special drugs on the Hospital Authority Drug Formulary and are generally prescribed by respiratory specialists in internal medicine (Secretary for Food and Health's reply to the Legislative Council, June 2021); our analysis: the corresponding Medical Council specialty is Respiratory Medicine (S22).

For choosing a respiratory physician, see How to choose a respiratory physician; for specialties for children, see How to choose a paediatrician.

How do I check which specialty a doctor is listed under?

On the Medical Council of Hong Kong website, the Specialist Register can be opened by specialty; searching by name shows the specialty and the specialist registration number in the specialist registration field of the doctor's record. For the steps, see How to check a doctor's registration and specialty.

A doctor must be on the Specialist Register to hold himself or herself out as a specialist, and can use only the title of the specialty in which he or she is registered (Medical Council Code of Professional Conduct, section 7, October 2022).

For the English names and codes, see Respiratory Medicine: English name and code and Immunology & Allergy: English name and code.

How do I get a referral to a public respiratory or allergy clinic? Can I book a private specialist directly?

To book a new appointment at a Hospital Authority specialist outpatient clinic, you need a referral letter issued by a locally registered doctor within the last three months; a letter from a private doctor is also accepted. Our analysis: for a private specialist, you can ask the hospital or clinic directly how to book; if you use medical insurance, whether a referral letter or pre-approval is needed depends on the policy terms, and you can ask the insurer first.

For the steps to book a public specialist outpatient clinic, see How to book a public specialist outpatient clinic; for what to prepare before seeing a specialist, see What to prepare before a specialist appointment.

Frequently asked questions