How to read Hospital Authority waiting times 2026: median, ‘longest’ waiting time and triage targets
The Hospital Authority publishes two waiting-time figures: the ‘median’, by which half of new cases have been seen, and the ‘longest’, the 90th percentile, by which nine in ten stable new cases have been seen. The Hospital Authority's target is to keep the median waiting time for urgent and semi-urgent new cases within two weeks and eight weeks respectively.
What do the median and the ‘longest’ wait mean?
By hospital cluster, the Hospital Authority publishes for each specialty the median (50th percentile) waiting time for urgent, semi-urgent and stable new cases, and the ‘longest’ waiting time (90th percentile) for stable new cases.
Taking Medicine as an example, from October 2025 to September 2026 the median waiting time for stable new cases by cluster was 28 to 61 weeks and the 90th percentile was 48 to 99 weeks: half of stable new cases were seen at or before the median and nine in ten at or before the 90th percentile, with about one in ten waiting longer.
| Hospital Authority term | Statistic | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Median | 50th percentile | Half of new cases are seen at or before this time |
| Longest | 90th percentile | Nine in ten stable new cases are seen at or before this time; about one in ten wait longer |
How are urgent, semi-urgent and stable cases decided?
Referred cases are usually first assessed by a nurse and then reviewed by a specialist, and are classified into three categories: urgent, semi-urgent and stable. The Hospital Authority's target is to keep the median waiting time for urgent and semi-urgent new cases within two weeks and eight weeks respectively.
From October 2025 to September 2026, the median waiting time for urgent new cases was 1 week or less in every specialty and cluster, and the median for semi-urgent new cases was 2 to 7 weeks.
Compiled by this site: across the eight specialties, stable cases make up 50% to 78% of booked new cases, so for most patients the stable-case figures are the most useful reference.
| Specialty | Total booked new cases | Urgent (share) | Semi-urgent (share) | Stable (share) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ear, Nose and Throat | 103,633 | 13% | 15% | 72% |
| Ophthalmology | 149,905 | 29% | 21% | 50% |
| Gynaecology | 60,210 | 12% | 15% | 70% |
| Medicine | 167,440 | 6% | 18% | 75% |
| Orthopaedics | 108,894 | 14% | 17% | 68% |
| Paediatrics | 28,621 | 10% | 23% | 67% |
| Psychiatry | 53,779 | 4% | 18% | 78% |
| Surgery | 187,761 | 7% | 19% | 74% |
What should I watch for when reading the figures?
The figures are published by hospital cluster, not by individual hospital or clinic; for the range of figures for the eight specialties over the same period, see Public specialist outpatient waiting times overview.
The figures on this page are for the 12 months from 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2026; DATA.GOV.HK states that the waiting times are updated quarterly (January, April, July and October).
The new-case waiting times for specialist outpatient clinics that the Hospital Authority publishes regularly are listed for eight specialties: Ear, Nose and Throat, Ophthalmology, Gynaecology, Medicine, Orthopaedics, Paediatrics, Psychiatry and Surgery; there are no separate figures for cardiology, gastroenterology and hepatology and other specialties.
You can choose to book in another cluster, but healthcare staff might, depending on your condition, advise you to attend a clinic near your home.
If your condition gets worse while you wait, you can contact the clinic to ask for an earlier appointment; in an emergency, go to an Accident and Emergency Department.
Common misunderstandings
‘The Hospital Authority promises that urgent cases see a doctor within two weeks’: not so. Two weeks and eight weeks are the targets the Hospital Authority sets for the median waiting time of urgent and semi-urgent new cases, not a deadline for every patient; when a target is met, at least half of the cases are seen before then.
‘The “longest” waiting time is how long everyone has to wait’: not so. ‘Longest’ is the 90th percentile for stable new cases; nine in ten cases were seen before this point, and your actual wait is arranged according to your condition.
‘The median is the average waiting time’: not so. The median is the middle value: half of new cases wait less and half wait longer, and it is not affected by a few unusually long cases.
‘The waiting time includes later tests or surgery’: not so. This is the waiting time for a new case at a specialist outpatient clinic and does not include later tests or surgery.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Hospital Authority's ‘longest waiting time’ the most I will have to wait?
No. ‘Longest’ is the 90th percentile of the waiting time for stable new cases: nine in ten stable new cases were seen before this point, and about one in ten waited longer.
Will an urgent case definitely be seen within two weeks?
Not necessarily. Two weeks is the target for the median waiting time of urgent new cases; when the target is met, at least half of urgent new cases are seen within two weeks. From October 2025 to September 2026 the median for urgent new cases was 1 week or less in every specialty and cluster. The actual order is decided by healthcare staff according to the patient's condition.
How often are the waiting times updated?
DATA.GOV.HK states that the waiting times are updated quarterly (January, April, July and October). The data period on this page is 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2026.