Survey: Hong Kong private docs not ready for e-health record

Nearly 80 percent of private doctors in Hong Kong feel they lack IT know-how and relevant training when it comes to e-health record, though at the same time the same percentage of them support the introduction of a territory wide e-health record platform, said eHealth Consortium Monday.

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Established since 2005, eHealth Consortium is a non-profit organization in Hong Kong that advocates the development of eheath in the SAR and China.

The consortium conducted a survey in mid-June this year when questionnaires were mailed to respondents via the Hong Kong Medical Association and the Hong Kong Doctors Union. A total of 342 completed questionnaires were returned, the consortium said.

"The survey findings show that private doctors take a positive attitude toward computerization but at the same time they face technical problems during implementation," said co-chairman of eHealth Consortium Executive Committee, Dr Wong Chun Por. "Their concern can be seen in their lack of sufficient confidence and resources in applying clinic computerization, making it impossible to introduce e-health record all by themselves in the short term. As compared with other regions, the number of private clinics in Hong Kong using electronic health records remains relatively low."

Other barriers doctors indicated include personal data privacy and security, and the shortage of information on relevant computer software and products (each accounts for 73 percent).

IT helps improve service quality

The findings also show that nearly 90 percent of private doctors see computerization as a way to help raise quality of patient care and the efficiency of clinic operation, said the consortium.

Besides, more than 20 percent of private doctors indicate a plan to purchase a computer system within a year, the consortium noted. The primary reason cited is to increase the overall operation efficiency (91 percent); the secondary reasons are to boost the professional image of a clinic (84 percent) and to refine the Hong Kong medical system (71 percent).

Among the private clinics that don't plan to go computerization within a year, more than half of the doctors are willing to join electronic health training courses for themselves or send staff to join the courses, the consortium said, adding that they are most interested in subjects like medical IT support and the application of clinical administrative software (each accounts for 73 percent).

The survey report shows that among the private clinics already installed with computers, more than 60 percent of the doctors are willing to pay HK$2,000 or more for a clinical function or administrative software.

Computer usage in clinics

More than 80 percent of them own more than one computer and hire at least one staffer to operate the computer. Among the private clinics with computers, 87 percent of them make use of the machines for administrative work such as registration, making appointments and payments.

Meanwhile, 76 percent of them use computers for clinical use to store patient data, summaries and reports as well as to write and store referral letters.