Hong Kong’s health system provides universal access to a wide range of public healthcare services, including inpatient care, general and specialist outpatient care, health protection and promotion, prevention services, and community services. Yet, like in many developed countries, affordability is a significant barrier to effective use of healthcare services in Hong Kong. In particular, inequity is most apparent in access to outpatient services. Long waiting time is a huge and common issue for public specialist outpatient services and accident and emergency services (Leung & Bacon-Shone, 2006; Our Hong Kong Foundation, 2018). Such long waiting times disproportionately impact patients with a lower income who have difficulty affording private care or are left living with diminished access to public health services (Yam et al., 2011).

References:

Leung, G. M., & Bacon-Shone, J. (2006). Hong Kong’s health system: Reflections, perspectives and visions: Hong Kong University Press. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.2007.061143

Our Hong Kong Foundation. (2018). Fit for Purpose: A Health System for the 21st Century. Retrieved from https://www.ourhkfoundation.org.hk/sites/default/files/media/pdf/ohkf_research_report_digital_1201.pdf

Yam, C. H., Liu, S., Huang, O. H., Yeoh, E., & Griffiths, S. M. J. B. h. s. r. (2011). Can vouchers make a difference to the use of private primary care services by older people? Experience from the healthcare reform programme in Hong Kong. 11(1), 255. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-11-255