Government launches Electronic Health Record Sharing System

The Government has launched the Electronic Health Record Sharing System to enhance the continuity of care, promote public-private partnership and improve the quality of healthcare services.

People can register with the system from March 13, for free.

Doctors at public hospitals or private healthcare institutions can access patients' comprehensive health records such as drug allergies or which vaccinations they have received.

The data-sharing system will help reduce the duplication of tests and prescriptions to provide a better and more timely treatment for patients.

Secretary for Food & Health Dr Ko Wing-man: When the patient was referred from a private hospital to a public hospital and have certain investigation done, afterwards it is very difficult for the patient to return to the private sector just because of the fact that many of the important investigation results were in the public sector, not available to the private hospital or private practitioners. So it works both ways and I think it can only be said that the opening up of a dual track communication should facilitate the freeflow of patient between the two sectors.

Dr Ko added that 11 private hospitals have registered to join the data sharing system.

To protect patients' personal data and privacy, all the participating healthcare providers must install secured communication modules to connect to the system.

A text will be sent to the patient's mobile phone to alert them about when their records are being read.