**************************************************
In response to media enquiries, a spokesman for the Hospital Authority (HA) gave the following response:
The HA noted the establishment of a Committee of Enquiry by the University of Hong Kong in relation to private patient billings and will fully cooperate with the Committee in the course of its investigation.
To ensure proper private patient billing in the future, Queen Mary Hospital, with the assistance of the HA Head Office Internal Audit, has been conducting a review on the existing private patient service billing systems and procedures. Simultaneously, the hospital is also conducting a thorough look back at billing for private patient services in the past three years to ensure that all issues, if any, are being identified and dealt with.
A full report on the review will be completed in due course and submitted to the HA Board for discussion and endorsement.
Ends/Thursday, March 8, 2007
Issued at HKT 20:11
NNNN