Name: Reasons for ineffective health services in Hong Kong
Uploaded: 2024-10-02
Duration: 2 min 10 s
Description: Reasons for ineffective health services in Hong Kong.

Reasons for ineffective health services in Hong Kong. 

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Reasons for ineffective health services in Hong Kong

Unwilling to attend General Outpatient Clinic Difficulty making an appointment  Unable to use the "HA Go" application

Inactive approach by the government Relying on NGO services Only 4 outreach medical teams provided by HA and the services time is from 9am to 5 pm

Social stigma from other patients and health care providers
 63.3% ‘They think I'm homeless.' 
23.3% ' They think I'm a drug addict.' 16.7% 'They think I'm Mental disorder.'

Health Literacy Unwilling to take medicine Forgetting to take medicine Unable to remember when to take medication

Risk of losing personal belongings Not being able to receive the letter or phone call from the hospital Difficulty in paying for transport / services

Reference: 香港社區組織協會(2022)《無家者健康及醫療需要研究2022》 陳葆琳.(2023)社協揭逾三成半患精神病無家者無治療倡服務外展隊增醫生跟進

Social workers and Community Health workers build a strong and informal network with the homeless Social workers will guide and accompany the homeless on their visits to the Community Health Centre Community Health workers always accept and welcome for the homeless people. 

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Social workers and Community Health workers build a strong and informal network with the homeless Social workers will guide and accompany the homeless on their visits to the Community Health Centre Community Health workers always accept and welcome for the homeless people

free services and situated near the living area of the homeless ( shelters and social restaurants ) If there is no Community Health Centre nearby, the homeless are directed to a large group practice similar to Community Health Centres.

no complicated pre-registration​ Unlike the system of NHS in UK, which is too complex for the homeless

Increase the utilization rates of attending the GP

Reference:
BMC Health Services Research (2010) Unique health care utilization patterns in a homeless population in Ghent.

Example: Health care system for Homelessness in Belgium

Suggestion for improving the effectiveness of health services for Street sleepers. 

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Suggestion for improving the effectiveness of health services for Street sleepers

A blue and white bus

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Providing care outside of traditional health care settings Street medicine, mobile care Recruitment of contract physicians in various specialities for the outreach team to stabilise the quality of services.

A doctor spraying a shield with bacteria

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Prevention is better than cure Educating the Street sleepers to increase their awareness of hygiene Providing vaccination to reduce infectious disease prevalence Podiatry interventions to provide fitted shoes or cut toenails

Training for doctors and nurses to deal with homeless people Replacing the old mindset of physicians with knowledge about Street sleepers Improve their communication skills and change their attitudes

A group of people wearing white lab coats

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Reference:
USICH (2024),  How Health Systems and Hospitals Can Help Solve Homelessness  黃洪(2017), 有關露宿者政策及相關支援服務與行動措施  Br J Gen Pract. (2006 ),  How can health services effectively meet the health needs of homeless people? Kelly Doran, MD, MHS (2023) Medical School Should Teach Students About Homelessness