Hong Kong Health Care System
Current Situation
This report offers an evaluation of Hong Kong's health care system. In this section, three important strengths and four fundamental weaknesses are highlighted.
Strengths
Hong Kong has a relatively equitable health care system. Every resident has equal access to essential health care. The financial burden of health services is financed in an equitable manner, and health services are reasonably equally distributed by geographical region.
Establishment of the HA brought steady improvement in certain aspects of quality and efficiency of services provided by public hospitals.
The health care system is relatively cost effective. Hong Kong's health care system is relatively cost effective when compared to European countries and when cost effectiveness is defined as achieving a better health outcome given a specified amount of resources. Although private and public spending on health care constitutes less than 6 per cent of GDP, this city has one of the lowest infant mortality rates and the longest life expectancies anywhere.
Weaknesses
Hong Kong's medical service has highly variable quality. Hong Kong lacks effective measure to ensure that patients receive comprehensive, highly quality medical care. The medical profession enjoys a privilege to self-regulate without interference and adequate oversight from external organization. Patients spend long queuing and waiting time even for essential treatments (Cancer patients at public hospitals have to wait for up to 40 days for radiation treatment due to a shortage of radiographers ), but relatively short clinical encounter (less than 5 minutes ). Over prescription behavior exists.
Long-term financial sustainability of current system is highly questionable. Although the existing mainly tax-based system has many desirable features, its longer term sustainability is doubtful especially when Hong Kong faces the problems of an ageing population, a slower rate of growth of the economy, and
This report offers an evaluation of Hong Kong's health care system. In this section, three important strengths and four fundamental weaknesses are highlighted.
Strengths
Hong Kong has a relatively equitable health care system. Every resident has equal access to essential health care. The financial burden of health services is financed in an equitable manner, and health services are reasonably equally distributed by geographical region.
Establishment of the HA brought steady improvement in certain aspects of quality and efficiency of services provided by public hospitals.
The health care system is relatively cost effective. Hong Kong's health care system is relatively cost effective when compared to European countries and when cost effectiveness is defined as achieving a better health outcome given a specified amount of resources. Although private and public spending on health care constitutes less than 6 per cent of GDP, this city has one of the lowest infant mortality rates and the longest life expectancies anywhere.
Weaknesses
Hong Kong's medical service has highly variable quality. Hong Kong lacks effective measure to ensure that patients receive comprehensive, highly quality medical care. The medical profession enjoys a privilege to self-regulate without interference and adequate oversight from external organization. Patients spend long queuing and waiting time even for essential treatments (Cancer patients at public hospitals have to wait for up to 40 days for radiation treatment due to a shortage of radiographers ), but relatively short clinical encounter (less than 5 minutes ). Over prescription behavior exists.
Long-term financial sustainability of current system is highly questionable. Although the existing mainly tax-based system has many desirable features, its longer term sustainability is doubtful especially when Hong Kong faces the problems of an ageing population, a slower rate of growth of the economy, and