A qualitative study of the views of patients with long-term conditions on family doctors in Hong Kong

BMC Family Practice

Research Article

Sheila M Hillier¹  Judy Y Siu²  Sian M Griffiths²  Tai Pong Lam³  Yvonne YC Lo³  Cindy LK Lam³  Stewart W Mercer⁴ 

[1] Centre for Health Sciences, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary, University of London, London, UK;Department of Community & Family Medicine, School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong;Family Medicine Unit, Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong;Section of General Practice and Primary Care, Division of Community-based Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Glasgow, UK;

关键词: Family Doctor;    Chronic Disease Management;    Primary Care Doctor;    Primary Care System;    Public Healthcare System;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2296-11-46

 received in 2009-08-25, accepted in 2010-06-04,  发布年份 2010

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundPrimary care based management of long-term conditions (LTCs) is high on the international healthcare agenda, including the Asia-Pacific region. Hong Kong has a 'mixed economy' healthcare system with both public and private sectors with a range of types of primary care doctors. Recent Hong Kong Government policy aims to enhance the management of LTCs in primary care possibly based on a 'family doctor' model. Patients' views on this are not well documented and the aim of the present study was to explore the views of patients with LTCs on family doctors in Hong Kong.MethodsThe views of patients (with a variety of LTCs) on family doctors in Hong Kong were explored. Two groups of participants were interviewed; a) those who considered themselves as having a family doctor, b) those who considered themselves as not having a family doctor (either with a regular primary care doctor but not a family doctor or with no regular primary care doctor). In-depth individual semi-structured interviews were carried out with 28 participants (10 with a family doctor, 10 with a regular doctor, and 8 with no regular doctor) and analysed using the constant comparative method.ResultsParticipants who did not have a family doctor were familiar with the concept but regarded it as a 'luxury item' for the rich within the private healthcare system. Those with a regular family doctor (all private) regarded having one as important to their and their family's health. Participants in both groups felt that as well as the more usual family medicine specialist or general practitioner, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners also had the potential to be family doctors. However most participants attended the public healthcare system for management of their LTCs whether they had a family doctor or not. Cost, perceived need, quality, trust, and choice were all barriers to the use of family doctors for the management of their LTCs.ConclusionsImportant barriers to the adoption of a 'family doctor' model of management of LTCs exist in Hong Kong. Effective policy implementation seems unlikely unless these complex barriers are addressed.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Mercer et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2010