If QFE had never been "invented" in the first place this "problem" would not exist & we would all be flying circuits at altitude xxxxft touching down at a/d elevations & thinking nothing of it. One big advantage is, at a non radio field you would not "need" airfield information to join, & if you did you could get it from FIS.
As for flying circuits with ref to altimeter, I do not recall ever reading less than 300ft on final, I'm more concerned with what is outside the window.
I believe the "problem" is prising the QFE mentality out of the brain & replacing it with logic. "This airfield is at 399ft elevation so we add 1000 to that so as not to upset the sheep"!