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Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals
OpinionComment
Adam Au
Adam Au

Opinion | How digital healthcare can help Hong Kong lower costs, improve efficiency and integrate better with the Greater Bay Area

  • The upcoming launch of the new eHealth+ system aims to connect the entire Hong Kong healthcare ecosystem and help patients better manage their health
  • Digital healthcare could bring cost savings, more efficiency, better data security and further integration with systems in the Greater Bay Area

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A man scans the QR code for the Covid-19 vaccine arrangements, at the Hong Kong Eye Hospital in Kowloon City, on June 13, 2022. Photo: K. Y. Cheng
Adam Au
If asked why they downloaded the Hong Kong government’s eHealth app, many people would probably say it was only to maintain their vaccination records during the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, the government wants to revamp the app to popularise its use.
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Permanent Secretary for Health Thomas Chan Chung-ching recently announced the upcoming launch of the new eHealth+ system in the second half of this year. It aims to connect the entire healthcare ecosystem, including hospitals, primary healthcare service providers and citizens. The goal is to empower people to better manage their health and locate suitable medical services.

Using technology to upgrade our healthcare system has been a long time coming. Public receptiveness towards digital healthcare has risen in the past three years as the pandemic turned our world view on its head.

However, the motivation to use such solutions, no matter how well-designed, is not nearly as strong as using them to adhere to social distancing protocols. With millions having already downloaded the eHealth app, adding functionality can help get the most out of the existing user base.

In a way, the government needs to answer the call for upgrades to the existing architecture. Consumers are becoming less tolerant of ossified legacy systems that don’t support data transferability. How many have had the experience of rummaging through old files for physical records because of a lack of digital copies?

A teacher at Heung To Secondary School in Tseung Kwan O reminds students to update their vaccination records on September 10, 2021. Photo: Dickson Lee
A teacher at Heung To Secondary School in Tseung Kwan O reminds students to update their vaccination records on September 10, 2021. Photo: Dickson Lee
The digitisation of healthcare systems has benefits beyond cost savings. It enables the processing and retention of health information, generating vast amounts of data suitable for interdisciplinary cross-pollination, detailed data analysis and research output. Moreover, digital healthcare systems give people better security and control over their own records, enabling them to take charge of their health.
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