Representatives from the healthcare industry attend the inaugural Fosun Health Conference on Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Healthcare Development Integration held in Hong Kong on Tuesday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The inaugural Fosun Health Conference on Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Healthcare Development Integration was held in Hong Kong on Tuesday, aiming to facilitate better interconnection of healthcare services in the Greater Bay Area.

With the background of integrating medical services of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, the conference, which was also intended to further promote the development of the "three links" system – the medication and medical device link, talent link and information link – across the regions gathered nearly 100 representatives from the healthcare industry.

"Hong Kong is also actively introducing outstanding doctors and nursing talents. We hope that such exchanges and explorations will better promote the integration of medical resources between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland, facilitate the process of medical integration in the Greater Bay Area, and better serve the residents," said Lam Ching-choi, a non-official member of the Executive Council of Hong Kong.

A policy implemented since 2021 allowed designated medical institutions in some cities in Guangdong to use medications and medical devices that have been marketed in Hong Kong and Macao if they is an urgent clinical need for patients. Foshan Fosun Chancheng Hospital is one of such medical institutions.

The hospital has introduced three types of advanced medications and two types of advanced medical equipment under the policy so far. In November, the FARAPULSE pulsed field ablation (PFA) system was introduced at the hospital and the Fosun clinical team performed the first batch of PFA procedures on the Chinese mainland.

In addition, facilitating doctors from Hong Kong and Macao to practice at hospitals in GBA is also a key approach for Fosun Health to promote "talent links", said Hu Hang, CEO of Fosun Health and president of Foshan Fosun Chancheng Hospital.

"Fosun Health has established collaborations with clinical experts at Asia Medical Specialists, Center Medical, The Women's Clinic Group, Alliance Medical Group and other medical groups in Hong Kong and Macao to better serve residents of the Greater Bay Area," he said.

The company is also exploring system interconnections with online platforms, such as DoctorNow and Doctor Q in Hong Kong, to enable remote consultations and follow-ups by Hong Kong doctors for patients on the Chinese mainland.

Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia are currently among popular destinations for medical tourism. Experts said that in the face of strong market demand, the Greater Bay Area is expected to become a new popular destination for medical tourism with the construction of integrated medical services in the GBA and the improvement of medical standards being in line with international standards.