Hong Kong is set to unveil a long-awaited policy on health care but there are concerns that a plan to set up clinics to put different services under one roof may create unfair competition among private doctors.
An 87-page document titled 'Primary Care Reform in Hong Kong' outlines steps to gear health-care services more towards prevention, health risk assessment and self-management of chronic illnesses.
It says developing preventive medicine in the city is of utmost importance amid an ageing and growing population.
Key initiatives include encouraging people to build a long-term relationship with family doctors; public and private health-care sectors sharing management of chronic diseases; better self-care; setting up polyclinics; and appointing a director of primary care service providers.
The Hong Kong Medical Association has serious reservations over the plan to set up polyclinics. It says it may create a situation where it is not a level playing field for doctors.
The policy document says: 'The traditional focus of our primary care system has been on providing treatment for acute, episodic diseases and ailments without sufficient emphasis on prevention. This can no longer meet the changing needs of the population.
'Over-reliance on hospital and specialist care for management of common chronic diseases results in long waiting times for public specialist referrals and the public hospital care is often overloaded.'