GOPC renamed as Family Medicine Clinic

To implement the Primary Healthcare Blueprint, which emphasises prevention-based and community-oriented primary healthcare services, the General Out-patient Clinic (GOPC) and Family Medicine Specialist Clinic services have been unified under the name of Family Medicine Outpatient Services starting from 11 October this year. GOPCs and Community Health Centres under the Hospital Authority have also been named as Family Medicine Clinics and Family Medicine Integrated Centres respectively, aligning with the development direction of primary healthcare services. Patients can have follow-up appointment and book an appointment as usual after renaming.

Apart from episodic disease, the repositioning of Family Medicine Outpatient Services will put greater emphasis on caring for priority groups, such as the underprivileged and low-income families, by providing services including health screening, chronic disease prevention and management, vaccination, and health education. Through strengthened community support, it is hoped to achieve ‘early detection and early intervention'. At the opening ceremony of the North District Family Medicine Integrated Centre (NDFMIC), the officiating guests symbolically used a key to unlock the seven key focuses (7C) of Family Medicine Outpatient Services: First contact point, continuous support, coordinated approach, comprehensive services, people-centred care, chronic disease management and preventive care.