Why is blood pressure control unsatisfactory--or is it?
Arterial hypertension is a strong risk factor forcardiovascular and renal disease. There are severalaspects that make the management of hypertensionalmost unique. Hypertension is common, i.e. there is ahigh prevalence of the condition in most industrializedcountries; it is simple to detect, i.e. ubiquitously avail-able ofﬁce brachial manometry anduor ambulatoryblood-pressure measurement ensure a rapid and validdiagnosis; it is treatable, i.e. there is a great choice anddiversity of highly tolerable medications with provenblood pressure (BP)-lowering effects; and antihyper-tensive therapy is efﬁcacious, i.e. there is a wealth of
Effective primary health care is essential for a high-quality, equitable, and cost-effective health care system.1 The increasing prevalence of chronic health conditions and the ageing of the population are important drivers for the development of more effective primary care services. ::: ::: In Hong Kong, recent health care reform proposals by the government emphasise the need for an effective primary care system, especially for chronic disease and preventive care. The family doctor model has been put forward as a ::: possible solution. ::: ::: The aim of the present study was to explore the incentives and barriers to adopting the family doctor model in Hong Kong from the viewpoint of patients with chronic disease. We focused on patients with chronic diseases, because of ::: their significant need and demand on health care services.