SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1993
10
——
OR 10
ANY
"THE SYSTEM WILL CERTAINLY EXPERIENCE CHANGE OVER THE NEXT FIVE
OR
JUST AS IT HAS BEEN CHANGING IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS YEARS
BUT THIS CHANGE IS DETERMINED BY COMMUNITY NEED, NOT BY DATE ON A CALENDAR, SHE SAID.
——
SHE CONSULTATION SYSTEM.
rt
A
PUBLISHED POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS RECENTLY
DOCUMENT SHOWING OPTIONS TO REFORM THE HEALTH CARE
"OF THE FIVE OPTIONS OUTLINED IN THE CONSULTATION DOCUMENT,
THAT THREE GOVERNMENT THINKS
ARE
APPROPRIATE FEASIBLE AND INTRODUCTION IN HONG KONG, THE SECRETARY SAID.
TE
THE
FOR
ONE OF THESE IS THE PERCENTAGE SUBSIDY APPROACH, WHICH AIMS RATIONALISE THE FEE CHARGING SYSTEM.
ΤΟ
SHE REFUTED
"PEGGING CRITICISMS THAT THIS PROPOSAL MEANT COSTS" AND IMPLIED THAT EACH PATIENT WOULD PAY A PERCENTAGE OF HIS OWN MEDICAL BILL.
то
"THIS IS NOT WHAT IS PROPOSED, SHE STRESSED,
47
EACH
MRS WONG EXPLAINED THAT THE PROPOSAL, WAS FOR THE DAILY FEE FOR TYPE
HOSPITAL OF
TO BE A FIXED PERCENTAGE
THAT HOSPITAL'S AVERAGE OPERATING COST.
OF
TYPE
OF
"THUS
PSYCHIATRIC OR CONVALESCENT PATIENTS WILL PAY LESS SOMEONE IN AN ACUTE GENERAL HOSPITAL BECAUSE IT COSTS LESS THEM THERE, SHE SAID.
THE
[
SECOND FEASIBLE OPTION IS THE TARGET GROUP APPROACH AIMS TO DIRECT GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY MORE ACCURATELY AT TUOSE IN NEED AS TO ACHIEVE A MORE EQUITABLE USE OF RESOURCES.
THAN
TO TREAT
WHICH
So
MRS WONG
NOTED THAT THERE WAS EFFECTIVELY ONLY ONE
THE GENERAL WARD BED ACCOMMODATION IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS THAN ONE CLASS OF PATIENT.
——
-44
CLASS OF BUT MORE
GO
то
A
SHE
"THERE ARE MANY WHO, WHILE UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO PRIVATE HOSPITAL, WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AND ARE PREPARED TO PAY SOMETHING MORE FOR A HIGHER STANDARD OF ACCOMMODATION IN A PUBLIC HOSPITAL," SAID.
PATIENTS THEIR
CONSIDERED
THE AT
POOR OTHER END OF THE SCALE, THERE ARE MANY PUBLIC ATTENDING
PAY HOSPITALS AND CLINICS WHO ARE UNABLE TO FERS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS FOR WAIVER IS PRESENTLY INDIVIDUALLY, WHICH IS BOTH INEFFICIENT AND UNCERTAIN.
**
"THE TARGET GROUP APPROACH PROPOSES A NEW TYPE OF SEMI-PRIVATE ROOM IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS, MRS WONG SAID, ADDING THAT THIS WOULD GIVE A CHOICE OF GREATER PRIVACY AND COMFORT IN RETURN FOR HIGHER FEES.
THIS OPTION ALSO OUTLINES AN AUTOMATIC WAIVER SYSTEM FOR GROUPS OF PATIENTS SO THAT THEY WILL KNOW THEIR ELIGIBILITY REMISSION WITH CERTAINTY.
NEEDY FOR FEB
/"THESE PATIENTS