Dissatisfaction of health providers and consumers: health care reform impasse and SARS outbreak mismanagement

Hong Kong has often been admired for having a health care system which provides access to reasonably high quality care to all of its residents at an affordable price. It has excellent general health status indicators. Spending on health is still low compared to countries in the West. There are no compulsory health insurance or medical savings contributions. Public hospital services are finnanced almost entirely through government general revenue, despite the fact that tax rates in Hong Kong are amongst the lowest in the world. The income of health care providers is high by international standard. Despite all of the above, dissatisfaction level appears to be higher than ever before for both health care providers and consumers in Hong Kong..