Transferring from a public hospital to a private hospital, or private to public: what to prepare? Referral letters, handing over medical records, and eHealth
To move from a public hospital to a private hospital, you can request a medical report (HK$1,100 each) or copies of medical records from the Hospital Authority, and give eHealth sharing consent to the healthcare provider the new doctor belongs to; to move from private care to a Hospital Authority specialist outpatient clinic, you need a referral letter issued by a locally registered doctor within the last three months, and a letter from a private doctor is also accepted.
What do I need to move from private to public care?
Booking a new appointment at a Hospital Authority specialist outpatient clinic needs a referral letter issued by a locally registered doctor within the last three months, and a letter from a private doctor is also accepted; new cases are triaged according to their condition and wait in turn, and for the booking steps see How to book a public specialist outpatient clinic.
Compiled by this site: you can also bring the private doctor's medical report, test reports and image discs. Registering with eHealth means you also give sharing consent to public healthcare providers such as the Hospital Authority, whose healthcare staff can, when you are under their care and they need to know, view the records within the sharable scope, including those deposited by private healthcare providers.
In an emergency, go to the Accident and Emergency Department.
What do I need to move from public to private care?
You can request a medical report or copies of medical records from the Hospital Authority: medical records must be requested in person or by post from the hospital's medical records office (Hospital Authority, July 2026); the fees are in the table below. A data access request for a child under 18 can be made on the child's behalf by a person with parental responsibility for the child; the data user can ask for proof of the child's identity and of the relationship, such as a birth certificate (Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, FAQ, June 2016).
A private healthcare provider can view your eHealth records only after you give it sharing consent; you can give consent in the eHealth mobile app, through the 24-hour hotline, in person when receiving services, or with an authorisation number when booking by phone; see eHealth registration.
Compiled by this site: some private hospitals have separate surgical packages or set charges for specified tests for public hospital patients, for which a public hospital appointment letter, follow-up slip or Hospital Authority referral letter must be shown; for examples, see Cataract surgery: public or private and MRI and CT scans: public or private.
For the routes, fees and collecting on someone's behalf when requesting records, reports and images, see how to get your own medical records and images; to transfer during an admission, see transferring hospital during admission; for transport on transfer day, see arranging a non-emergency ambulance.
| Item | Hospital Authority charge (from 1 January 2026) |
|---|---|
| Handling fee for a data access request (photocopy of medical records) | HK$100 per request, including the first 10 pages and postage |
| Photocopying after the 10th page | HK$1.5 per page |
| Disc or film | HK$300 each |
| Certificates and medical reports | HK$1,100 each (charged for a maximum of 4 reports) |
Which records can eHealth hand over?
eHealth currently has 11 types of sharable data, including allergies and adverse drug reactions, diagnoses, operations and other medical procedures, medication, laboratory and radiology reports, and referral information.
Frequently asked questions
Can a referral letter from a private doctor be used to book a public specialist?
Yes. Booking a new appointment at a Hospital Authority specialist outpatient clinic needs a referral letter issued by a locally registered doctor within the last three months; a letter from a private doctor is also accepted.
How are medical records handed over when changing hospital?
Compiled by Book a Doctor: you can request a medical report, copies of medical records and image discs from the original hospital, and give eHealth sharing consent to the healthcare provider the new doctor belongs to; a Hospital Authority medical report costs HK$1,100 each, and a disc or film HK$300 each (from 1 January 2026).
How do I move from a public hospital to a private hospital?
You can request a medical report (HK$1,100 each, from 1 January 2026) or copies of medical records from the Hospital Authority, and medical records must be requested in person or by post from the hospital's medical records office (Hospital Authority, July 2026); a private healthcare provider can view your eHealth records only after you give it sharing consent, so give eHealth sharing consent to the healthcare provider the new doctor belongs to.
Do private hospitals have separate charges for public hospital patients?
Compiled by Book a Doctor: some private hospitals have separate surgical packages or set charges for specified tests for public hospital patients, for which a public hospital appointment letter, follow-up slip or Hospital Authority referral letter must be shown; for examples, see Cataract surgery: public or private and MRI and CT scans: public or private.