Professor Yeoh is Professor of Public Health and Director of the Centre for Health Systems and Policy Research. He was Director of the School from 2014-2020. His research is in health systems, services and policy with an interest in applying systems thinking in studying how the complex components of health systems interact and interrelate to improve health. He has a vast experience and knowledge in health systems research and in social and elderly services. Prof Yeoh is currently the Principle Investigator of 2 commissioned studies (i) to investigate Hong Kong’s early detection, assessment and response system to COVID-19, and (ii) to evaluate a new primary care initiative – an innovative district health system in Hong Kong. He also completed a study to evaluate the impact of a government elderly healthcare voucher schemes on healthcare utilization, and a study to review, develop and pilot integrated health service models for an ageing population. He has been commissioned by the Social Welfare Department to evaluate two pilot projects on (a) Residential Care Service Voucher for the Elderly and (b) Support for Elderly Persons Discharged from Public Hospitals after Treatment with an aim to enhance the residential care and transitional care services for the elderly. He has just completed a commissioned study by the Macao Health Bureau to assess their population healthcare needs so as to inform the planning of services and resources necessary to meet the changing health needs of Macao population. In addition, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has funded him to conduct a research to promote intergenerational cohesion and population health through launching theoretical-and-evidence-based intergenerational programs with the collaboration of NGOS in the community. He is a member of the Research Council of Our Hong Kong Foundation and led 2 health policy research projects for the Foundation, namely An Investment for the Celebration of Aging, and Fit for Purpose: A Health System for the 21st Century.
Internationally, he is involved in collaborative work with research networks such as the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), the Association of Pacific Rim Universities and Asia Pacific Network for Health Systems Strengthening (ANHSS) in studies on health systems and training for policy. He also supports the work in health system of the Western Pacific Region of World Health Organization undertaking commissioned research and as Temporary Advisor to provide technical support for strengthening health systems. He has provided consultancy reports on governance and hospital planning.
Prior to joining The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Professor Yeoh was Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region between 1999 and 2004. As Secretary, he established systems in health care delivery, financing and quality assurance for a vision of “a lifelong investment in health.” He modernised the capabilities of the health system to deal with potential outbreaks of infectious disease. In the Welfare portfolio, he instituted changes in funding providers and in the organisation of services which would improve outputs and outcomes.
From 1990 – 1999, Professor Yeoh was head & the first Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Hospital Authority with the responsibility of the management and transformation of the public hospital system. The greatest impact of Professor Yeoh's work as Chief Executive was in transforming the entire public system into one which embraced new values of being patient-centred, a focus on outcomes, an emphasis on quality and initiative in clinical governance. He was President of the International Hospital Federation from 2001 – 2003 and was awarded the Hospital Management Asia Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002.
As a clinician, he pioneered public health programmes in the prevention of Hepatitis B and HIV/AIDS. Professor Yeoh has held many key positions in professional bodies, both locally and internationally. He was awarded JP in 1993, OBE in 1997 by the Hong Kong Government and GBS in 2005 by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in recognition of his public service.
