A 24-year-old intern doctor in Hong Kong has been dismissed by the Hospital Authority (HA) following allegations of professional misconduct, including unauthorized access to patient records, breaches of medical ethics, and violations of patient confidentiality.
The doctor, identified by authorities only as a woman surnamed Lai, was arrested by police on June 13 on suspicion of accessing a computer with dishonest intent after an investigation into alleged misconduct spanning multiple public hospitals.
Police later released Lai on bail after approximately 21 hours in custody. She is required to report back to authorities in early July as the investigation continues.
The case first became public on June 10 when the Hospital Authority issued a statement confirming that it had reported suspected unauthorized access to patient data to police.
According to the HA, someone allegedly logged into the Clinical Management System at Caritas Medical Centre using another person's account and accessed patient records at Tuen Mun Hospital without authorization.
The authority immediately suspended the intern doctor involved, along with a resident doctor at Tuen Mun Hospital, from all clinical duties. Both individuals also lost access to hospital computer systems while investigations proceeded.
"The HA considers the matter extremely serious," the authority said, adding that it maintains zero tolerance for any behaviour that compromises patient safety or undermines the professional conduct expected of doctors.
The authority said a comprehensive review of the affected patient records had not identified any irregularities in patient treatment.
On June 12, the Hospital Authority terminated Lai's employment after concluding an internal investigation into multiple allegations of misconduct.
The HA said the dismissal followed findings involving breaches of medical ethics, patient privacy and professional confidentiality. Investigators also determined that the intern failed to follow instructions while carrying out medical procedures.
The authority noted that the intern's employment was originally scheduled to end on June 30 as part of her medical internship.
Officials also confirmed that the doctor had previously received a serious warning for inappropriate conduct during an earlier internship placement at Ruttonjee Hospital.
In addition, disciplinary action had already been taken against the intern and another resident doctor over separate inappropriate conduct at Caritas Medical Centre.
The Hospital Authority said it continues to investigate whether the intern was involved in any other incidents of professional misconduct.
According to preliminary findings cited by sources like Hong Kong News Press and South China Morning Post familiar with the investigation, Lai allegedly used a hospital system account that was not assigned to her to access patient records at Tuen Mun Hospital from Caritas Medical Centre between May 13 and May 14.
Police received a report from a doctor at Caritas Medical Centre in Sham Shui Po on June 10.
Investigators arrested Lai at around 7 p.m. on June 12. She was subsequently taken back to Caritas Medical Centre on June 13 as part of evidence-gathering efforts before being released on bail later that afternoon.
Under Hong Kong law, a person convicted of accessing a computer with dishonest intent can face a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP) reported that internet users identified the doctor as "Angel the Medic," a content creator who documented her medical training on YouTube and Instagram.
Media outlets reported that social media posts linked to the account showed the intern undergoing X-ray examinations on her own knee, with SCMP noting that one post described access to the equipment as a "perk."
The intern had asked her boyfriend, a resident doctor at Tuen Mun Hospital, to assist with a medical procedure at Ruttonjee Hospital during her internship. The allegation has not been publicly confirmed by the Hospital Authority or police.
Following the controversy, it was reported that the intern had cleared her social media accounts.
The Hospital Authority has informed the relevant university's medical school about the case and requested follow-up action regarding the intern's fitness to practise medicine.
A spokesperson for the medical school at the University of Hong Kong said the institution respected the Hospital Authority's decision as the employer and had begun an independent assessment process.
The university said it would submit a report to the Medical Council of Hong Kong if the intern is found not to meet required professional standards.
Under Hong Kong's medical licensing system, graduates must complete a 12-month internship and obtain a certificate of experience before they can register as fully qualified doctors.
Alex Lam Chi-yau, a lay member of the Medical Council of Hong Kong, told the South China Morning Post that medical graduates applying for registration must declare criminal investigations, convictions and professional misconduct proceedings. He said offences involving dishonesty could trigger a formal inquiry by the Medical Council before a doctor is allowed to practise.
The Hospital Authority said doctors working in Hong Kong's public healthcare system must demonstrate both professional competence and exemplary conduct.
Officials stressed that patient wellbeing, safety and confidentiality must remain the highest priority at all times.
The authority said it would continue to investigate the matter thoroughly and would refer any confirmed breaches of professional standards to the Medical Council of Hong Kong for further action.
"The HA has absolutely zero tolerance for any form of behavior that undermines the professional conduct of doctors," the authority said.
(Rh/ARC)
