Review on Trauma Care in Hong Kong

Trauma is the third leading cause of death worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of death categorized as "injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes" by the Department of Health in Hong Kong in 2015. The annual incidence of trauma increased progressively in the 1970s, reached a peak in the mid-1980s, and then fell despite the population growth. The population of Hong Kong is 7.32 million in 2015, with an area of 1098 kilometer square. All public hospitals in Hong Kong are managed by an independent body called the hospital authority (HA). Currently, 17 major public hospitals out of 42 provide accident and emergency (A&E) services. These hospitals are organized into seven hospital clusters based on their locations. This article is to review the current trauma care system in Hong Kong and make some suggestions on the future development.