The eHR system enables different healthcare providers in both the public and private sectors to enter, transfer and retrieve data, with procedures for obtaining patients' consent, and mechanisms for authenticating and controlling data access.
In July 2007, the Secretary for Food & Health established the Steering Committee on eHR Sharing comprising healthcare professionals from both the public and private sectors.
Last July, the committee put forward its initial recommendations for an eHR programme, from which the bureau formulated a 10-year planning roadmap.
Government-led system
It is proposed the eHR development be government-led and leverage the Hospital Authority's systems and know-how, that data privacy and system security be prioritised and legally protected, and that participation be compelling - but not compulsory - for patients and healthcare providers.
The system should be based on open, pre-defined and common technical standards and operational protocols. The system's development should be based on a building-block approach, involving partnership with the private sector.
A pilot for easier patient registration with the use of Smart ID Cards in hospitals and clinics, aiming to shorten the time from registration to the actual access of clinical records, will be ready by 2010.
It is estimated the capital costs for the system's development from 2009-10 to 2018-19 will be about $1.124 billion.
Phased funding
About $702 million will be required for the first stage of the programme from 2009-10 to 2013-14, and the bureau will seek funding approval within the current legislative year. Further capital funding will be sought later.
A dedicated eHealth Record Office will be formed with total recurrent spending of about $327 million for the years 2009-10 to 2011-12.
The Government also proposes to create four directorate posts for four years. The office will start off with 20 civil servants, while the dedicated support teams will have 200 technical staff on average, up to a maximum of 300.
Upon full implementation, the e-record system will bring an efficiency gain of about $860 million a year to total health expenditure as a result of reducing the need to administer paper medical records, duplicate laboratory tests and other documentation.
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Quelle/Source: News.gov.hk, 03.03.2009
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