Report on Evaluation of Electronic Health Records System in Hong Kong Healthcare Sector

            (FHB) Food and Health Bureau defines that an eHR or electronic health record normally refers to the information regarding an individual’s health stored and recalled by various providers of healthcare including healthcare professionals and doctors for purposes related to healthcare (here patients is referred to as individual) (Food and Health Bureau, 2008). The development of an electronic health information recording and sharing system doesn’t only concern IT. Significantly, it has to resolves security, privacy, and legal issues which include security, data privacy, and safeguarding the data of patients (GovHK, 2018). Meanwhile, institutional issues have to be handled by it as well including the governance of electronic health record infrastructure controlling huge amounts of health-related data. For ensuring the development support of eHR in terms of public, a public engagement has been carried out by Hong Kong Government constituting several stakeholders including the providers of healthcare from IT sectors, patient representatives, private sectors, and public sectors during the electronic health record’s development process (eHealth, 2016).

            Almost all medical information in Hong Kong is kept segregated in various providers of healthcare. Moreover, there is no connection among them. Such records are kept in several forms i.e. electronic records or paper-based records, or in the format of data. Most certainly, a well-crafted system for the exchange of records doesn’t exist among providers. Workers in the healthcare sector couldn’t form a complete image of medical history of patients concerning the delivered treatment and diagnosis. A cloned healthcare inspection might be carried out by patients resulting in treatment’s delay (Wing-man, 2016). For performing disease surveillances efficiently, government is unable to develop a database with no fault whatsoever. In order to raise the primary service’s quality, it is integral for health records to keep the lack of mobility clients or patients (the consent of a patient should be subjected by it). Switching from traditional ways to electronic health records centralizing the eHR would possibly be the future trend of development in health records. In the Policy Address of 2009-2010, it was clarified that a mix of recommendations has been made by Government concerning the enhancement of primary care for providing a thorough care to patents. Additionally, a system compromising of an electronic record exchange would be created on area-basis to reduce medicate costs, safeguard the health of a patient, and mitigate errors. The reformation of healthcare services will be underpinned by this system (Press Release, 2009).

Literature Review of Electronic Health Records System in Hong Kong Healthcare Sector

        It was exmphasized by Fong, et al. (2015) that eHR in Hong Kong should be promoted while considering Taiwan’s example. It has been found by researchers that in recent decades, technology advances rapidnly and has played a major role in the system development of health information. The sharing system of eHR has been established by The Government for brinding many advantages to the community such as less medical costs, efficient services, and agile treatment. Even the information’s transparency and availability would be enhanced by the system through the exchange of records among providers of healthcare in private  and public sectors with a clear aim of reducing consultations’ frequency, improving the sharpness of patient management and accuracy, evading paper records’ errors and cloned investigations, and enabling surveillance of diseases of public’s healthcare research achieving more effectiveness in terms of policy formulation. Authors in ther paper suggested that with a concern upon eHR systen implementation and development, a lot has to be learned from Taiwan’s example. Authors also recommended a social approach in amrketing for promoting and improving Hong Kong’s project regarding the electronic health record (Fong, et al., 2015).

        An investigation was carried out by Leung, et al. (2015) on electronic health record’s development for a CM or Chinese medicine in Hong Kong. Authors stated that as far as Hong Kong is concerned, medical and health-realted information is normally kept and stored by various providers of healthcare and sometimes by patients themselves in several locations with different data formats such as clinics of CMP. At their project’s initial stage, clinical terms’ standardization utilized by authors concentrated mainly upon 4 domains; interventions, acupoints, patterns, and diseases. It was shown by results that CMCTT or Chinese Medicine Clinical Terminology Table’s architecture has been developed. Some usual terms connected with investions, patterns, acupoints, and diseases were incorporated after being analyzed into CMCTT. It was concluded by authors that CM information’s standardization creates the base for efficient and accurate electronics’ communication. Uniform communications are facilitated by it while technical integration’s costs are reduced (Leung, et al., 2015).

Rationale of the Research of Electronic Health Records System in Hong Kong Healthcare Sector

        Being a study on Hong Kong’s Electronic Health Record, this research is actually supposed to reveal the benefits, challenges, and impacts of such a system in Hong Kong’s healthcare sector. Furthermore, a lot of contributions are served by this study as electronic records in the healthcare system are explored by it in Hong Kong for integrating a whole new dimension. With this study, a path for electronic system in Hong Kong will be paved. It also plays an important role in the deployment of electronic record system in terms of healthcare sector in Hong Kong. This research is actually expected to become the source of guidance for IT developers, health professionals, and hospital managers who are curious about such a system of exchanging records in implementation, design, and assessment of EHR systems in Hong Kong’s health facilities. This study’s findings might also prove to be integral for the policy formulation’s purpose, electronic system’s implication and implementation and other health applications which are electronic in the health sector of Hong Kong.

Hypothesis of Electronic Health Records System in Hong Kong Healthcare Sector

Null hypothesis: Electronic health record system did not improve the healthcare sector of Hong Kong.

Alternate Hypothesis: Electronic health record system improved the healthcare sector of Hong Kong

Null hypothesis: In Hong Kong, the elements are not being used that promote or impede the eHR system’s usability.

Alternate Hypothesis: In Hong Kong, the elements are being used that promote or impede the eHR system’s usability.

Null Hypothesis: In Hong Kong, eHR’s does not positively impact the delivery of healthcare.

Alternate Hypothesis: In Hong Kong, eHR’s positively impact the delivery of healthcare.

Methodology of Electronic Health Records System in Hong Kong Healthcare Sector

        In Hong Kong, the evaluation of integrated eHR was the study’s main aim or goal. For achieving this aim, an identification of initial assessment is sought by the study made by the facility prior to the system’s implementation and adoption, it also sought to determine the satisfaction and usability of system according to users, and healthcare deliver’s advantages. Thus, information will be gathered from the hospital’s main roles to achieve the study’s goals.

Research Design of Electronic Health Records System in Hong Kong Healthcare Sector

        Usually, researchers think about qualitative methods of research a lot. Although studies adopt a single research method or simply a triangulation method which mixes both but this study will be using both the qualitative and the quantitative approaches for gathering the necessary information. The theme will remain the same about Hong Kong’s electronic record system. In the process of research, the qualitative approach seemed more efficient and reliable to understand the electronic system through the identification of many characters in the system. The interaction among users and systems from the perspective of an organization and a user is also identified.

        Specifically, the numerical data will be represented by the quantitative analysis. With this, direct quotations about the experiences of respondents are captured. It also gives a deeper insight to researchers about the perspective of respondents concerning the phenomenon. A skill of qualitative research that makes it reliable and convenient is to present itself in various quantitative forms. It is just that the statistic depth is not that deep compared to the quantitative studies. A traditional and normal example concerns the situation when data from respondents is phased through analysis by segregating it on the same kind basis and representing it by the amount or number of participants who affirmed. Although qualitatively methods are mainly used in this study but quantitative methods are also utilized to deal with similar numerical statement from HER’s real users.

        In the research, there are actually two types of information included; secondary and primary data. Both types will be used in the research for attaining final results and conclusions. In the secondary data, the present literature and knowledge will be explored while in the primary data, both quantitative and qualitative methods will be utilized. Information will be gathered through questionnaire which are close-ended and will be summarized. Once it has been summarized, a comparison will be carried out.

Conceptual Framework of Electronic Health Records System in Hong Kong Healthcare Sector

Dependent variable: Healthcare Sector

Independent Variables: Artificial Intelligence

Sampling and Sample Size Estimation of Electronic Health Records System in Hong Kong Healthcare Sector

        This study’s population will be professionals of health at North District Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Shatin Hospital, Pamela YoudeNethersole Eastern Hospital, St. John Hospital, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, Matilda International Hospital, Evangel Hospital, and Canossa Hospital. But the research was bound the professionals of health working in eHR’s department of management, implementation, and the manager of IT.

        A three-shift system was run by the identified department where a number of workers work in the morning while the others work in the evening or afternoon. Due to it, all the members couldn’t be contacted. But the researchers will struggle and make sure that all workers from their specific shifts are contacted and distributed a questionnaire with 20 questions. Meanwhile, there are 50 questionnaires that will be divided and distributed with a strong and clear logical structure. The framework will be strictly close-ended so that all participants are encouraged to answer in the best way. It will also make it convenient for them to understand the questions. Regarding the questionnaires, there will be three different parts. The very first part will focus on the identification of characteristics of respondents while the second one will be focusing on the elements which play a role in improving or impeding the system’s usability. The questionnaire’s final part will focus on the collection of data linked with eHR’s impact on the delivery of healthcare in Hong Kong. On the basis of Likert-scale, the questions will be based actually.

References of Electronic Health Records System in Hong Kong Healthcare Sector

eHealth. 2016. Electronic Health Record (eHR). Electronic Health Record Sharing System. November 30. https://www.ehealth.gov.hk/en/about_ehrss/electronic_health_record/index.html.

Fong, Ben YF, Wing Yan Cheung, Sze Wing Ho, Ka Man Leung, Wang Chi Tse, Wing Tan Tsim, Chun Siu Yick, and San Ni Yu. 2015. Promoting Electronic Health Record (eHR) Sharing System in Hong Kong – What Can We Learn from Taiwan. Kowloon: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, College of Professional and Continuing Education, School of Professional Education, Working Paper Series No. 9, Issue 3.

Food and Health Bureau. 2008. Healthcare Reform Consultation Document. Food and Health Bureau, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.

GovHK. 2018. Electronic Health Record Sharing System. Electronic Health Record Sharing System. May. https://www.gov.hk/en/residents/health/hosp/eHRSS.htm.

Leung, Ruth, Kam Fung Chung, Veronica Li, Rita Cheung, Corey Lam, and Eric Ziea. 2015. "Development of Electronic Health Record for Chinese Medicine eHR(CM) Sharing System in Hong Kong." Integrative Medicine Research 4 (1).

Press Release. 2009. Policy Address by Chief Executive. Hong Kong Government. October 14. https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200910/14/P200910140144.htm.

Wing-man, Ko. 2016. eHRSS: The New World of Healthcare. eHRSS. November 30. https://www.ehealth.gov.hk/en/publicity_promotion/ehealth_news_09/the_new_world_of_healthcare.html.