【GBA Connection】eHealth Supports Cross-Boundary Medical Collaboration
Stepping into a New Era of Cross-Boundary Electronic Health Records

In recent years, the Government has actively promoted cross-boundary medical collaboration. The Chief Executive in his 2023 Policy Address announced the launch of the Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme (EHCV GBA Pilot Scheme) to enable eligible Hong Kong elderly persons to use healthcare vouchers to pay for outpatient healthcare services provided by designated departments/services of the pilot medical institutions in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). To facilitate cross-boundary medical collaborations and the provision of more seamless healthcare services for eligible elderly persons, the eHealth App (the App) piloted two new functions in July 2024, namely the “Cross-boundary Health Record” and the “Personal Folder”. Under the principle of “bring your own health records”, the new functions facilitate elderly persons eligible for Elderly Health Care Voucher to use their electronic health records (eHRs) at designated medical institutions outside Hong Kong in a secure manner.

Since the launch of the EHCV GBA Pilot Scheme, the Shenzhen New Frontier United Family Hospital, one of the participating medical institutions, has provided medical services to many Hong Kong citizens. Dr Wang Bufei, Chair of Family Medicine of the hospital, praised the “Cross-boundary Health Record” function in the App, noting that it allows healthcare professionals to view patients’ comprehensive health records and essential information. This significantly improves the diagnosis accuracy and ensures that patients receive the most appropriate treatment in a more effective manner.

Growing Demand on Cross-boundary Medical Care of Hong Kong Citizens
New eHealth Functions Facilitate Doctors’ Follow-Up on Patients’ Conditions

Under the principle of “complementarity and mutual benefits, the Government promotes healthcare collaboration in the GBA, with a view to fully leveraging the composite advantages of the three places, and jointly improving the standards and development of different aspects of healthcare in the GBA. With the introduction of various policies, more Hong Kong citizens are seeking medical services in GBA cities. Dr Wang noted that about a quarter of her patients are from Hong Kong. However, many first-time visitors worry about whether doctors could fully understand their health conditions and medical records. “Patients are often concerned about accurately conveying their past health records and current medications by themselves which might affect the doctor’s diagnosis,” she pointed out.

Currently, eHealth users can apply for eHRs deposited in eHealth over the past three years through the “Cross-boundary Health Record” function in the App. Upon verification of users’ authorisation, they will receive a “File QR Code” and a “Password QR Code” on their eHealth App. During users’ consultation at medical institutions outside Hong Kong that are specified and certified by the Health Bureau, relevant healthcare professionals can access and view the eHRs by scanning the two QR codes presented by the users. Additionally, the “Personal Folder” function of the App allows users to deposit personal medical records obtained from various sources, including those obtained during consultations received in medical institutions outside Hong Kong. These records can be centrally deposited in the eHealth and easily used by users, including allowing authorised healthcare providers in Hong Kong to access these records through the eHealth system during follow-up care.

“When cross-boundary medical collaboration was less prominent in the past, even if a patient discovered an allergic reaction to a medication while receiving treatment in Hong Kong, the same medication might unknowingly be prescribed again by doctors outside Hong Kong. Not only did this fail to bring any benefit to patients, it also resulted in wastage of healthcare resources and missed/delayed treatments.”

The new function facilitates healthcare providers in GBA in viewing patients’ past medical records in Hong Kong, which improves the accuracy of diagnoses and treatments. This ensures effective use of medical resources and allows patients to receive more comprehensive care when seeking cross- boundary medical services.

A Win-Win-Win for Patients, Healthcare Professionals, and Medical Institutions

Dr Wang emphasised that given the common use of the App nowadays, many Hong Kong patients would apply for their “Cross-boundary Health Record” before consultation, to enable her to access their comprehensive and detailed medical records, including diagnosis, procedures and clinical summaries. This helps her make the most appropriate medical decisions.

“A breast cancer survivor from Hong Kong sought a follow-up examination to assess her current health conditions. If recurrence signs are detected, early intervention can be initiated to prevent the situation from worsening. Since cancer involves complex conditions, even after recovery, factors like patient’s conditions, diagnostic records and treatment history might influence current follow-ups. With the ‘Cross-boundary Health Record’ function, I was able to access the patient’s previous medical records and reports, enabling me to make more accurate and timely follow-up care.”

In addition to doctors from designated medical institutions being able to view patient’s medical records through the “Cross-boundary Health Record” function, patients can also deposit investigation reports, diagnostic records, and medication records obtained during consultations received in medical institutions outside Hong Kong through the “Personal Folder” function. Dr Wang believed that this function allows patients to systematically manage their medical records, and enables Hong Kong doctors to quickly understand their health conditions and provide efficient and suitable follow-up care, thereby facilitating seamless integration of healthcare journey across the two regions.

Dr Wang pointed out that the App offers considerable convenience for Hong Kong citizens seeking cross-boundary medical care. She encouraged Hong Kong citizens to use the App early and make good use of its different functions to take a more holistic approach of healthy living. She also reminded patients planning to visit designated medical institutions to apply for relevant health records at least 24 hours before their consultations, as the system requires time to verify user’s authorisation.

As cross- boundary medical collaboration continues to grow, Dr Wang expressed gratitude for the trust placed in GBA medical institutions, and recognition of their service quality. She hoped the App will continue to develop cross-boundary eHRs so as to further improve cross-boundary medical connectivity and to benefit more patients.

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