Public Medicine waiting time 2026: how long Hospital Authority Medicine new cases wait, by cluster
From October 2025 to September 2026, the median waiting time for stable new cases in Hospital Authority Medicine was 28 to 61 weeks by cluster (about 6 to 14 months); the medians for urgent and semi-urgent new cases were about 1 week or less and 4 to 6 weeks respectively. The actual order is decided by healthcare staff according to the patient's condition.
How long do new Medicine cases wait in each cluster?
The table below shows the new-case waiting times of the Hospital Authority's Medicine specialist outpatient clinics by cluster. From October 2025 to September 2026 there were 167,440 booked new cases in Medicine in total, about 75% of them stable new cases.
‘Stable (90th percentile)’ is what the Hospital Authority calls the ‘longest’ waiting time: nine in ten stable new cases were seen before this point; it does not mean you will necessarily wait this long; for how to read the figures, see How to read Hospital Authority waiting times.
The eight specialties whose waiting times the Hospital Authority regularly publishes do not list cardiology, gastroenterology and hepatology and similar specialties (which are specialties under the Hong Kong College of Physicians) separately, so this page has Medicine figures only; for the public and private comparison for cardiology, see public waiting times for Cardiology (Medicine figures for reference).
| Hospital cluster | Urgent (median) | Semi-urgent (median) | Stable (median) | Stable (90th percentile) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong East | 1 week | 6 weeks | 31 weeks | 72 weeks |
| Hong Kong West | Less than 1 week | 4 weeks | 28 weeks | 48 weeks |
| Kowloon Central | 1 week | 6 weeks | 61 weeks | 99 weeks |
| Kowloon East | 1 week | 5 weeks | 29 weeks | 76 weeks |
| Kowloon West | 1 week | 6 weeks | 42 weeks | 87 weeks |
| New Territories East | 1 week | 6 weeks | 37 weeks | 85 weeks |
| New Territories West | 1 week | 6 weeks | 48 weeks | 66 weeks |
How is the order of the wait 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.
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.
How do I book a new Medicine case?
Specialist outpatient clinics mainly treat patients referred by Family Medicine Clinics, private doctors or family doctors.
Booking a new case requires a referral letter issued by a locally registered doctor within the past three months; for some specialties you can submit an application through ‘BookHA’ in HA Go; which specialties are available is as shown in the app.
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 claim that ‘the Hospital Authority promises urgent cases will see a doctor within two weeks’ is wrong: two weeks and eight weeks are 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 claim that ‘the “longest” waiting time is how long everyone waits’ is wrong: the ‘longest’ is the 90th percentile for stable new cases, nine in ten cases are seen before then, and your actual wait is arranged according to your condition.
How much do public specialist outpatient clinics charge?
From 1 January 2026, Eligible Persons pay HK$250 per attendance at Hospital Authority specialist outpatient clinics and HK$20 per prescribed drug item (charged in units of 4 weeks), with separate charges for some laboratory tests and non-emergency radiology examinations; Non-eligible Persons pay HK$850 per attendance at specialist outpatient clinics.
People with financial difficulties can apply for medical fee waivers; the Hospital Authority also has an annual fee cap of HK$10,000, which must be applied for and has no means test.
Frequently asked questions
What is the longest wait for Medicine in the public system?
The ‘longest’ waiting time as the Hospital Authority puts it is the 90th percentile for stable new cases, which from October 2025 to September 2026 was 48 to 99 weeks by cluster (about 11 to 23 months). That is, nine in ten stable new cases were seen before then; it does not mean you will necessarily wait this long.
Can I book in a cluster with a shorter wait?
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.
How long is a referral letter valid?
A new-case booking requires a referral letter issued by a locally registered doctor within the past three months.
What should I do if my condition gets worse while waiting?
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.