Vouchers for primary healthcare services in an ageing world? The perspectives of elderly voucher recipients in Hong Kong.

Abstract: Considering the ageing population in economically advanced regions across the world, measures are necessary to enhance the health of the older population as well as contain public healthcare spending. Hong Kong implements the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme (EHCVS), providing older peop...

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Publicado en:Health & Social Care in the Community Vol. 26; no. 3; pp. 374 - 383
Autores principales: Lai, Angel Hor‐Yan, Kuang, Zoey, Yam, Carrie Ho‐Kwan, Ayub, Shereen, Yeoh, Eng‐Kiong
Formato: research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Wiley-Blackwell May2018
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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        atl: Vouchers for primary healthcare services in an ageing world? The perspectives of elderly voucher recipients in Hong Kong.
      aug:
        au:
          Lai, Angel Hor‐Yan
          Kuang, Zoey
          Yam, Carrie Ho‐Kwan
          Ayub, Shereen
          Yeoh, Eng‐Kiong
        affil: Department of Social Work, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
      sug:
        subj:
          Aged Psychosocial Factors
          Gerontologic Care Economics
          Health Services Accessibility
          Health Care Costs
          Human
          Male
          Female
          Convenience Sample
          Hong Kong
          Aged
          Aged, 80 and Over
          Focus Groups
          Interviews
          Thematic Analysis
          Quality of Health Care
          Middle Age
          Quality Improvement
          Aged: 65+ years
          Aged, 80 & over
          Middle Aged: 45-64 years
          Male
          Female
      ab: Abstract: Considering the ageing population in economically advanced regions across the world, measures are necessary to enhance the health of the older population as well as contain public healthcare spending. Hong Kong implements the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme (EHCVS), providing older people aged 65 or above an annual subsidy of visiting private healthcare service providers for chronic disease prevention and management. The services also aim at reallocating demand from the public to private sector as well as improve quality of services. This qualitative study explored the experiences of EHCVS recipients (<italic>n</italic> = 55, aged 61–94) with eight focus group interviews in Hong Kong in the year 2016. Convenience sampling was used. Research questions were: (1) Why do older people choose not to use EHCVS for preventive as well as disease management services among older people in Hong Kong? (2) What are the barriers to reallocating demand from the public to private sector? (3) In what ways did EHCVS improve the quality of primary care services for older people? Using a deductive and inductive approach, eight qualitative themes were identified. Findings suggested that the non‐targeted services and inadequate knowledge on EHCVS deterred older people from using the vouchers for disease management and prevention. The relatively expensive private services, lack of trust in the private sector, low public clinic fees and good services quality of the public sector, together with inadequate private practitioners in the healthcare market were barriers that hinder demand reallocation. Nevertheless, the quality of primary care services had been improved after the implementation of EHCVS with shortened wait times and opportunities to discuss health‐related issues with private practitioners. Findings were discussed with practice, policy and research implications.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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