ENG-2009 — Page 223

Health 163

Developing Electronic Health Record (EHR) Sharing

The Government is conducting a Public-Private-Interface Electronic Patient Record Sharing pilot project to test the feasibility and gauge the acceptance of electronic health record (eHR) sharing. The eHR enables participating private hospitals, private practitioners and other healthcare providers to access their patients' medical records kept at the Hospital Authority, subject to patients' consent.

By the end of 2009, more than 1 400 private healthcare professionals had taken part in the project, including 12 private hospitals and 10 other private or non- governmental organisations providing health-related services. More than 74 000 patients had also enrolled in the project.

The Government is also working with the public and private healthcare sectors, IT service providers and stakeholders to implement a ten-year project to develop a territory-wide, patient-oriented, voluntary eHR sharing system. In July 2009, an eHealth Record Office was set up under the Food and Health Bureau to co-ordinate and take forward the development of the system and to address issues such as policies, legal implications, privacy and security. In October 2009, the eHealth Record Office launched an Electronic Health Record Engagement Initiative (EEI) and invited the private healthcare sector to submit proposals for promoting eHR sharing. Through this exercise, the Government will, amongst others, help the non- governmental healthcare and information technology sectors to develop solutions needed to connect their systems to the sharing platform.

The eHealth Record Office is aware of public concerns about the sharing of health records and consult the relevant professions, stakeholders and the public in 2010-11 on issues in relation to the legal, privacy and security framework for eHR sharing in preparation for drafting of the necessary legislation and conduct a Privacy Impact Assessment in collaboration with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data.

Development of Private Healthcare

One of the healthcare reform initiatives is to encourage the private healthcare sector to play a more active role in the provision of hospital services in order to address the imbalance between public and private hospital services and to increase the overall capacity of the healthcare system to cope with growing demand. Promoting private hospital development is also a major government policy announced by the Chief Executive in his 2009-10 Policy Address.

Hong Kong is renowned for its high standard of professional health care as well as its up-to-date medical technology and equipment. Coupled with its excellent communication facilities and marketing skills, it has the advantages and potential for further developing its medical services, particularly in the provision of highly specialised services that require technology and multi-disciplinary skills.

The Government aims to develop medical services as one of the six industries crucial to the growth of Hong Kong's economy. The development of private