XN000022-1986-03-27 — Page 11

THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 1986

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CALL TO REVAMP MEDICAL FINANCING POLICIES

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FUNDS PROVIDED FOR MEDICAL SERVICES IN THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR UNLIKELY TO BE SUFFICIENT TO SUSTAIN THE PRESENT SCALE OF EXPANSION UNLESS FIRM AND QUICK DECISIONS ARE MADE ON REVAMP ING POLICIES ON HOW TO FINANCE MEDICAL SERVICES, AND HOSPITAL SERVICES IN PARTICULAR, THE HON MISS MARIA TAM SAID IN THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (THURSDAY).

CONVENER OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH INTERNAL WORKING GROUP ON THE DRAFT ESTIMATES, MISS TAM SAID ALL FIVE MEMBERS IN HER GROUP SUPPORTED THE BASIC PHILOSOPHY THAT PEOPLE WHO COULD AFFORD IT SHOULD PAY MORE FOR MEDICAL SERVICES AND THOSE WHO COULD NOT SHOULD BE GIVEN RELIEF.

SUMMAR IS ING THE GENERAL AREAS THAT CAUSED CONCERN TO THE WORKING GROUP, SHE STRESSED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD MAKE THE MOST OF EXISTING RESOURCES.

SERVICES IN SUBVENTED HOSPITALS COULD BE UPGRADED, AND THE BED OCCUPANCY RATE INCREASED, AS HAD BEEN ACHIEVED AT POK OI HOSPITAL BY AN INTERDISCIPLINARY REDISTRIBUTION OF BEDS, INCREASING ADMISSION THROUGH ESTABLISHING SPECIALTY UNITS AND STREAMLINING REFERRAL SYSTEMS. A SIMILAR APPROACH HAD BEEN ADOPTED AT KWONG WAH HOSPITAL AND FURTHER POSSIBILITIES SHOULD BE EXPLORED IN OTHER SUBVENTED HOSPITALS.

MISS TAM ALSO CALLED ON GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO TAKE JOINT ACTION TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS THAT HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED.

JOINT EFFORTS COULD BE MADE ON THE ISSUE OF OVERCROWDING IN HOSPITALS, THE NEED TO MAKE BETTER USE OF CONVALESCENT BEDS IN SUBVENTED HOSPITALS, AND IN THE CARE OF ELDERLY PATIENTS.

MISS TAM SAID THE SOONER HONG KONG COULD ADOPT AN AMBULATORY CARE POLICY THE BETTER IT COULD MAXIMISE ON THE USE OF HOSPITAL CARE.

SHE NOTED THAT IN SOME OVERSEAS COUNTRIES PATIENTS WERE ENCOURAGED TO LEAVE HOSPITALS AND CONVALESCENT HOMES ONCE THEY WERE FIT TO DO SO, AND WERE SUBSEQUENTLY VISITED BY COMMUNITY NURSES WHILE CONVALESCING AT HOME.

ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT PLANNED TO INCREASE LOCAL COMMUNITY NURSE CENTRES, A GOVERNMENT NURSE COULD AT PRESENT ONLY VISIT AN AVERAGE OF THREE PATIENTS PER DAY, WHILE HER COUNTERPART IN THE UNITED CHRISTIAN HOSPITAL WAS ABLE TO VISIT, STATISTICALLY, ABOUT 7.5 PATIENTS PER DAY.

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