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The Media, Communications and Information Technology
assistance and facilitates the development of local SMEs and ICT startups through various support programmes.
Developments in E-government
Building on the foundations laid down over the past few years, Hong Kong has launched the next stage of e-government. Key developments include:
(a) Mobile applications
The government is keen to expand mobile e-government services for greater convenience of the public 'on-the-go. As at the end of 2014, a total of 96 government mobile apps are available for public use.
(b) Public Sector Information
The government's Public Sector Information (PSI) portal provides for free re-use information in 17 categories, comprising some 3,000 datasets. Hong Kong won the Outstanding e-Government Prize (Open City) at the World e-Governments Organisation of Cities and Local Governments (WEGO) Awards in 2014 for providing PSI in digital format for public use.
(c) Electronic Health Records
The first stage of the electronic Health Record (eHR) programme is targeted to: (1) set up the sharing platform for connection with all public and private hospitals; (2) have electronic medical/patient record and health information systems available in the market for connection to the sharing platform; and (3) formulate a legal framework to protect system security and data privacy. The eHR Sharing System is targeted for launch in 2015 after completion of the legislative process.
(d) City-wide Wi-Fi
To facilitate the public and visitors in accessing free Wi-Fi service, the government launched the 'Wi-Fi.HK' brand in August 2014 to promote public Wi-Fi services which are offered by public and private organisations completely free (or free for a certain period of time) in Hong Kong. There are currently over 10,000 hotspots under the Wi-Fi.HK brand.
(e) Government Cloud Platform
Riding on the new government cloud platform, the government continues to develop common e-government services for shared use by government departments
(f) Electronic Procurement
Government departments use cloud-enabled electronic procurement to enhance efficiency by automating and integrating processes. Suppliers also reap the benefits of shorter transaction turnaround times and greater business opportunities.
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