Health minister Lo Chung-mau said on Thursday the establishment of a new institute boosting clinical practices will allow patients to receive medical care of higher quality.

The setting up of the Institute for Medical Advancement and Clinical Excellence (Imace) came after Chief Executive John Lee said in his policy address last year that the government would launch a platform for developing evidence-based clinical protocols and exploring the feasibility of devising service quality and efficiency standards for the public and private healthcare sectors.

The institute will help people understand which healthcare services to get for different illnesses.

In a statement, Lo said Imace will allow for the exploration of more effective treatment options for patients thanks to expertise of both public and private healthcare professionals.

"I hope that the Imace can promote exchanges among healthcare professionals and maintain connections with institutions responsible for developing evidence-based medicine and clinical guidelines worldwide (including the mainland and overseas regions)," he said.

"This will enable our healthcare professionals to learn about and apply the latest technologies, further promoting Hong Kong's development into an international health and medical innovation hub."

The institute's founding members include medical practitioners from both the public and private medical sectors, including the Department of Health, the Hospital Authority and the Private Hospitals Association.

The Health Bureau said it only offers funding but will not be involved with the work of the institute to ensure its professional autonomy.