Public hospitals in China: privatisation, the demise of universal health care and the rise of patient-doctor violence.

Full Abstract

Ensuring the safety of staff and patients has become a major problem for hospitals in China. This article examines whether one of the reasons for this violence may be the emerging injustice and inequality that have manifested in the Chinese health care system as a result of privatisation reforms since the early 1980s. It considers approaches to these issues that may assist the Chinese Government, and other nations contemplating similar policy changes, to create efficient but equity-based health care systems that minimise collateral trauma to patients and their families.

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Author information

Author/s: Zheng, Pingan (P); Faunce, Thomas (T); Johnston, Kellie (K);

Affiliation: Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hubei, Wuhan, China.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Journal of law and medicine (J Law Med), published in Australia. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-May; vol 13 (issue 4) : pp 465-70

Dates: Created 2006/06/07; Completed 2006/07/13;

PMID: 16756215, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

China - epidemiology
Health Policy - trends
Hospitals, Public - economics; organization & administration
Humans
Physician-Patient Relations
Privatization - legislation & jurisprudence

Privatization - legislation & jurisprudence
Safety - economics; statistics & numerical data
Social Justice - economics; trends
Socioeconomic Factors
Universal Coverage - legislation & jurisprudence; trends
Violence - economics; statistics & numerical data

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