In Hong Kong the responsibility for building and operating hospitals used to be shared by the Government of Hong Kong and a number of charities, including religious orders, some with traditions dating back to the earliest times. Unfortunately this dual system of government and subvented hospitals was not integrated, leading to problems of coordination and management and resulting in gaps and duplication in services, inefficient and ineffective use of resources, as well as low staff morale. The problems persisted against a background of significant population growth, rising community...