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

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TitleA qualitative study of the views of patients with long-term conditions on family doctors in Hong Kong
AuthorsMercer, SW2
Siu, JY4
Hillier, SM3
Lam, CL1
Lo, YY1
Lam, TP1
Griffiths, SM4
KeywordsMedical sciences
Issue Date2010
PublisherBioMed Central Ltd. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcfampract/
CitationBmc Family Practice, 2010, v. 11 [How to Cite?]
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2296-11-46
AbstractBackground. Primary 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. Methods. The 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. Results. Participants 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. Conclusions. Important 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. © 2010 Mercer et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
ISSN1471-2296
2011 Impact Factor: 1.799
2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.115
DOIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2296-11-46
PubMed Central IDPMC2889885
ReferencesReferences in Scopus
DC Field
Value
dc.contributor.authorMercer, SW
dc.contributor.authorSiu, JY
dc.contributor.authorHillier, SM
dc.contributor.authorLam, CL
dc.contributor.authorLo, YY
dc.contributor.authorLam, TP
dc.contributor.authorGriffiths, SM
dc.date.accessioned2010-10-31T11:00:47Z
dc.date.available2010-10-31T11:00:47Z
dc.date.issued2010
dc.description.abstractBackground. Primary 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. Methods. The 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. Results. Participants 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. Conclusions. Important 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. © 2010 Mercer et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
dc.description.naturepublished_or_final_version
dc.identifier.citationBmc Family Practice, 2010, v. 11 [How to Cite?]
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2296-11-46
dc.identifier.citeulike7385013
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2296-11-46
dc.identifier.hkuros171616
dc.identifier.isiWOS:000279852900001
Funding AgencyGrant Number
Food and Health Bureau, the Government of the Hong Kong SARSHS-P-02
Funding Information:

This project was supported by the Health Services Research Fund (project ref no SHS-P-02) of the Food and Health Bureau, the Government of the Hong Kong SAR. Stewart Mercer carried out this work as Visiting Professor in Primary care, at the School of Public Health, Chinese University of Hong Kong. We would like to thank all who participated in and contributed to this study. Academic contributors to the study included Professor Albert Lee, Department of Community & Family Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Professor William Wong, Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne, Australia Professor David R. Phillips, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Lingnan University, Hong Kong, Professor Roger H. Jones, United Medical and Dental School, (Guy's and St Thomas), London Guy's, King's and St Thomas' School of Medicine, United Kingdom

dc.identifier.issn1471-2296
2011 Impact Factor: 1.799
2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.115
dc.identifier.issue46
dc.identifier.openurl
dc.identifier.pmcidPMC2889885
dc.identifier.pmid20525340
dc.identifier.scopuseid_2-s2.0-77952992129
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/124906
dc.identifier.volume11
dc.languageeng
dc.publisherBioMed Central Ltd. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcfampract/
dc.publisher.placeUnited Kingdom
dc.relation.ispartofBMC Family Practice
dc.relation.referencesReferences in Scopus
dc.rightsCreative Commons: Attribution 3.0 Hong Kong License
dc.rightsB M C Family Practice. Copyright © BioMed Central Ltd.
dc.subjectMedical sciences
dc.titleA qualitative study of the views of patients with long-term conditions on family doctors in Hong Kong
dc.typeArticle
Author Affiliations
  1. The University of Hong Kong
  2. University of Glasgow
  3. Queen Mary, University of London
  4. Chinese University of Hong Kong