Controlling health care costs whilst improving population health: what are the issues and can it be done in Hong Kong?
Many countries are experiencing two related types of 'transition', one leading to Improved Population Health, but the other leading to Rising Health Care Costs. This paper will present and discuss a conceptual framework for each of these trends, which illustrate key factors that are, or may be, contributing to such outcomes. Factors contributing to improved population health include: health promotion and disease prevention; effective public health; effective housing policies. Factors contributing to Rising Health Care Costs include: demographic transition, increasing life expectancy; medical technology. Hong Kong is currently digesting the recommendations of the 'Harvard Report', which considered future options for meeting the following five reform objectives: (1) Maintaining and improving equity; (2) Improving quality and efficiency; (3) Improving financial sustainability; (4) Meeting the future needs of the population; (5) Managing overall health expenditure inflation. As can be seen, the two related transition trends of improved population health and rising health care costs are reflected in these objectives. The Harvard Report recommends a Competitive Integrated Health Care option as the most appropriate 'solution' for Hong Kong in the long run. The paper will briefly comment on this proposal.
Boldy
D
D
School of Public Health, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth, Western Australia 6845.
Lewis
J
J
D018672:Community Health Planning / Q000191:economics*; D003363:Cost Control; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated; D017048:Health Care Costs; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D014904:Western Australia