Photo: eHealth will trial two new functions in mid-next month to make it easier for citizens to store their electronic health records for medical treatment in the north.
[Ta Kung Pao News]Reporter Liu Shuoyuan reported: The Medical and Health Bureau announced yesterday that in order to cooperate with cross-border medical collaboration, the eHealth mobile application will pilot two new functions called “Cross-border Health Records” and “Personal Folders” from July 15. Under the principle of bringing your own medical records, the new functions will facilitate Hong Kong citizens to safely use electronic health records across borders in specific overseas medical institutions to obtain more consistent care services.
Convenient to bring medical records to seek medical treatment in Beijing
Currently, elderly people who are eligible for Elderly Health Care Vouchers can go to the HKU-Shenzhen Hospital for medical treatment and apply for health care vouchers. Under the pilot program, elderly people who use health care vouchers to go to the HKU-Shenzhen Hospital for medical treatment can apply for the electronic health records stored in the eHealth for the past three years in advance through the eHealth mobile application. Their family members can also apply for the elderly through the “Caregiver” function of the app. After the system verifies the elderly’s authorization, the elderly will receive a “file QR code” and “password QR code” in the app.
During the consultation, the hospital’s medical staff will use these two QR codes to open and browse the elderly’s electronic health records such as diagnosis, medical procedures, and clinical summaries to help with diagnosis and treatment. Once the operational experience matures, the Medical and Health Bureau will gradually expand the relevant arrangements to other medical institutions under the “Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Program”.
Introduction to the “e+ Support Station”
The system generally takes no more than 72 hours to verify the application and prepare the electronic health record. If the elderly plan to see a doctor at HKU-Shenzhen Hospital, they only need to apply three days in advance to ensure that the electronic health record is ready when they see the doctor. The new function uses multiple authentication, and personal data will be accessed in a secure environment.
The app will also enable the “Personal Folder” function. eHealth users can use this “Personal Folder” to store their personal medical records obtained from different channels, such as medical records obtained when seeking medical treatment in overseas medical institutions. Records stored in the “Personal Folder” can be centrally stored and can also be used by users conveniently, including being accessible through the eHealth system by Hong Kong medical institutions authorized by users when following up on care.
The Medical and Health Bureau is conducting publicity and public education through various channels. Citizens can view the introduction video of the new function on the eHealth mobile application or the eHealth website. In addition, the Medical and Health Bureau has set up a support station at the HKU-Shenzhen Hospital to assist Hong Kong citizens to register for eHealth, download related applications and understand the functions. The Medical and Health Bureau is working with the “District Service and Care Teams” in 18 districts under the Home Affairs Department to set up “e+ Support Stations” at different community events to introduce the functions of the application.
The “e+ Support Station” staff will also provide health services such as weight, blood pressure and blood sugar testing and traditional Chinese medicine pulse diagnosis to the public. The first “e+ Support Station” event was held in Yau Tsim Mong District yesterday, and the next two events will be held at Tai Yuen Community Hall in Tai Po District on June 29 and Telford Garden Community Hall in Kwun Tong District on July 1.