Letters | Coronavirus crisis has unleashed the potential of digital health care

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A patient (on the screen) attends a press conference at Tseung Kwan O Hospital on April 3 on a new long-distance medical consultation service. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 5:20pm, 22 Apr 2020Updated: 5:20pm, 22 Apr 2020

There will be many lessons for Hong Kong in the way we all responded to the coronavirus pandemic, and there are demonstrations of best practice around the world that we can build on. As raised in your editorial of April 13 on why telemedicine is worth embracing, a very urgent question for Hong Kong will be how we can create a system that makes greater use of enabling technology to help people who want access to health care.

We have seen frontline health care workers here and around the world respond heroically to the crisis. However, the current pressure on critical care services, combined with guidance for people to stay at home, means that access to routine doctor consultations and non-urgent care services has been difficult. Also, people’s expectations are fundamentally changing. We expect that a lasting change from Covid-19 will be the acceleration of digital health, unlocking new care pathways and treatments.

Obvious solutions to the immediate challenge include video doctor consultations, digital scans and imaging and remote support. We know that the technology is widely available and that countries around the world are using it to provide health care services to patients.

Across the globe, my colleagues are co-creating new models of health care delivery with patients and practitioners. Here in Hong Kong, we are piloting virtual general practitioner consultations at a time when people want care and advice direct to their door. Bupa has adapted rapidly to meet changing needs and circumstances. Of course we need to be vigilant to ensure the highest possible standards of care are maintained. But, quite simply, it works.

Once we are through this crisis, we think there is great opportunity for policymakers and regulators to come together with public and private health care organisations to consider the next phase of digital-based health care for Hong Kong.