HONG KONG
Hong Kong, as a port city in a prime location for trading with China, has developed into one of the world’s busiest financial and trading centers. The country has experienced strong economic growth—reaching 5.5% in 1994—and it has one of the highest per capita GDPs in Asia: $21,750 in 1994. Among the 5.5 million residents of Hong Kong are disproportionately large numbers of millionaires who have benefited from the country’s booming economy. They and other prosperous citizens have helped create a strong demand for world-class health care.
Concerns in Hong Kong about controlling health care costs (discussed in the next section) may become eclipsed by the larger problems that may arise now that the country, a former British colony, has been handed over to China as a “Special Administrative Region.” Although China is not expected to make drastic changes to political, economic, and social policies in Hong Kong, no one knows for certain how the relationship will evolve. China understands that keeping Hong Kong as a center of business, finance, and trade is in its best interest; thus, China is not expected to change policies affecting Hong Kong’s commerce. At the very least, however, the former colony will have to adapt to new ways of doing business; at the very most it could experience an overhaul of its entire political and economic system.
Health Care Trends and Policies
Forty-nine hospitals serve Hong Kong: 37 public and 12 private; in 1995, the person-per-doctor ratio was 909:1 and the person-per-hospital-bed ratio was 233:1. The government in Hong Kong is a major player in the health care industry and—perhaps because of the country’s relatively high person-per-doctor ratio—has made a commitment to improve health services. Government hospitals are heavily subsidized in Hong Kong, and private medical insurance is rare. Because of this subsidization, prices are low for patients at government facilities (approximately $7-13/day for a hospital stay, including treatments and drugs). However, keeping prices low for patients has put a huge strain on Hong Kong’s public health care system. Government health expenditures have increased enormously in the past few years, growing by 20% in 1993 and by 23% in 1994. These high rates are not expected to subside now that Hong Kong has reverted to Chinese control.
Private hospitals in Hong Kong are also facing financial troubles. Because increasing numbers of prosperous Hong Kong residents are choosing private medical facilities over public ones (known for long delays and impersonal service), Hong Kong’s private health care sector has grown tremendously over the past ten years. But private facilities do not receive public support; instead, their fees are paid by private health insurance companies or by individuals directly. In addition, because private facilities are unregulated, they can charge what they like. Consequently, the health insurance industry in Hong Kong has been left struggling to pay for private medical services, including cutting-edge high-tech treatments and the personnel to administer them. To help address this problem, many private hospitals in Hong Kong are planning changes to the services they provide to adapt to the new technology.
One possible remedy being considered for these escalating costs is increasing cooperation between the public and private health sectors. Currently, little or no such cooperation occurs, and both sectors do their own research on the latest treatment trends and make separate purchases of expensive new equipment. Ideas that would foster more cooperation and coordination between the two sectors include allowing the public hospitals, which have relatively low occupancy rates, to lease out space to private sector. This arrangement would allow private and public health services to share overhead costs, laboratory and maintenance facilities, and expensive cutting-edge equipment. Many in Hong Kong understand that such solutions are necessary if health care facilities are to provide the world-class medical care that the country’s residents demand.
ฮ่องกงHong Kong เป็นเมืองท่าในการค้าขายกับจีน ได้พัฒนาเป็นหนึ่งในโลกคึกคักทางการเงิน และการค้าศูนย์การ ประเทศมีประสบการณ์การเติบโตทางเศรษฐกิจที่แข็งแกร่ง — ถึง 5.5% ในปี 1994 — และมีหนึ่ง GDPs ต่อหัวสูงที่สุดในเอเชีย: $21,750 ในปี 1994 ระหว่าง 5.5 ล้านคนของ Hong Kong จะสลายจำนวนมาก millionaires ผู้ได้รับประโยชน์จากเศรษฐกิจเฟื่องฟูของประเทศ พวกเขาและประชาชนอื่น ๆ เจริญได้ช่วยสร้างความแข็งแกร่งสำหรับการดูแลสุขภาพระดับโลกความกังวลใน Hong Kong เกี่ยวกับการควบคุมต้นทุนดูแลสุขภาพ (กล่าวถึงในส่วนถัดไป) อาจเป็นได้จากปัญหาใหญ่ที่อาจเกิดขึ้นที่ประเทศ อาณานิคมอังกฤษเดิม ถูกมอบให้จีนเป็นแบบ "เขตปกครองพิเศษ" แม้ว่าจีนไม่คาดว่าจะทำให้เปลี่ยนแปลงรุนแรงทางการเมือง เศรษฐกิจ และสังคมใน Hong Kong ไม่มีใครรู้แน่ว่าจะพัฒนาความสัมพันธ์ จีนเข้าใจว่า รักษา Hong Kong เป็นศูนย์กลางของธุรกิจ เงิน และการค้าอยู่ในดอกเบี้ยดีที่สุด ดังนั้น จีนไม่คาดว่าจะเปลี่ยนนโยบายกระทบ Hong Kong ค้า อย่างน้อย อย่างไรก็ตาม อาณานิคมเดิมจะต้องปรับให้เข้ากับวิธีใหม่ในการทำธุรกิจ ที่ส่วนใหญ่มาก จะสามารถพบการยกเครื่องระบบการเมือง และเศรษฐกิจของทั้งแนวโน้มการดูแลสุขภาพและนโยบายForty-nine hospitals serve Hong Kong: 37 public and 12 private; in 1995, the person-per-doctor ratio was 909:1 and the person-per-hospital-bed ratio was 233:1. The government in Hong Kong is a major player in the health care industry and—perhaps because of the country’s relatively high person-per-doctor ratio—has made a commitment to improve health services. Government hospitals are heavily subsidized in Hong Kong, and private medical insurance is rare. Because of this subsidization, prices are low for patients at government facilities (approximately $7-13/day for a hospital stay, including treatments and drugs). However, keeping prices low for patients has put a huge strain on Hong Kong’s public health care system. Government health expenditures have increased enormously in the past few years, growing by 20% in 1993 and by 23% in 1994. These high rates are not expected to subside now that Hong Kong has reverted to Chinese control.Private hospitals in Hong Kong are also facing financial troubles. Because increasing numbers of prosperous Hong Kong residents are choosing private medical facilities over public ones (known for long delays and impersonal service), Hong Kong’s private health care sector has grown tremendously over the past ten years. But private facilities do not receive public support; instead, their fees are paid by private health insurance companies or by individuals directly. In addition, because private facilities are unregulated, they can charge what they like. Consequently, the health insurance industry in Hong Kong has been left struggling to pay for private medical services, including cutting-edge high-tech treatments and the personnel to administer them. To help address this problem, many private hospitals in Hong Kong are planning changes to the services they provide to adapt to the new technology.One possible remedy being considered for these escalating costs is increasing cooperation between the public and private health sectors. Currently, little or no such cooperation occurs, and both sectors do their own research on the latest treatment trends and make separate purchases of expensive new equipment. Ideas that would foster more cooperation and coordination between the two sectors include allowing the public hospitals, which have relatively low occupancy rates, to lease out space to private sector. This arrangement would allow private and public health services to share overhead costs, laboratory and maintenance facilities, and expensive cutting-edge equipment. Many in Hong Kong understand that such solutions are necessary if health care facilities are to provide the world-class medical care that the country’s residents demand.
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