Hong Kong's public health care service has always been a source of pride for its people. But we have always complained about what we considered to be the exorbitantly high cost of private hospitals.

It was therefore a real eye-opener when I read a commentary in the South Morning Post entitled "Hong Kong's private health care puts US to shame." In that article, the writer gave a detailed breakdown of the process and cost of the treatment of her own illness, which she described as rather serious, at a private hospital. "The customer service was excellent, and the waiting rooms had the feel of an upscale shopping mall," she enthused. "Most importantly, the doctors were top-notch not only in their knowledge and experience, but also in their attitude."

In contrast, US physicians, who she said were mostly overworked and overbooked, "are increasingly known to have the bedside manner of a gorilla, and the average consultation is around 10 minutes." I never saw a doctor all those years I lived in the US. But my experience with doctors on the mainland was anything but pleasant. I once went to see a doctor in a major Shanghai hospital for a bad cold. That section of the hospital was reserved for expatriates with nicer waiting areas. The charges were, of course, a lot higher than in the main facilities.

After a brief wait, I was ushered into the doctor's office. He took a look at me, asked how I felt and proceeded to write out my prescription. I asked him if it were necessary at least to check my pulse, examine my sore throat or listen to my breathing with a stethoscope? He remained expressionless, handed me my prescription and waved me out. The entire consultation time beat that of the average US doctor by five minutes.

According to the thankful expatriate patient in Hong Kong, a specialist spent nearly 45 minutes talking with her about her possible condition, on first name terms. The HK$1,600 charge for the consultation was, as she said, at least half what it would be in the US.

Like most people in Hong Kong, I have had experience with both public and private health service. None of them can be described as pleasant, of course. Nothing is pleasant when you're being treated for multiple injuries in a motor accident or a bleeding ulcer that could have taken your life. But on both occasions, I felt I was well taken cared of, enabling me to recover fully without any residual problems.

I crashed my car in a remote road on the south side. The ambulance came in time and I was immediately taken to the nearest hospital for an initial diagnosis. After that I was transferred to Queen Mary's hospital for treatment of cuts to the forehead and both arms, plus several fractured ribs.

What impressed me was that the hospital staff actually wheeled an X-Ray machine the size of a big office printer to my bedside rather than having to wheel me to the X-Ray room. The operation was fast and efficient and I was up and well within a week. The total cost? HK$5 a day for meals. Medical was all free.

When I had the ulcer, I was working and had full insurance cover. So, I went to a private hospital in Causeway Bay for treatment. The reception area wasn't posh and the customer service wasn't exactly first class. But the doctor was patient and professional and the nurses were efficient and knowledgeable. They fixed my problem and I was out of hospital in two days. The cost was a reasonable HK$20,000.

As the writer of the SCMP article said, patients in Hong Kong are fortunate to have options. Let's work to keep it that way.

The author is a current affairs commentator.

(HK Edition 01/26/2013 page3)