Press Releases
Public consultation on Electronic Health Record Sharing launched (with photo/video)
The Government today (December 12) launched a public consultation to solicit
views on the Legal, Privacy and Security Framework for Electronic Health
Record (eHR) Sharing. The consultation exercise will last for two months
until February 11, 2012.
Speaking at a press conference today to release the consultation document on
the Legal, Privacy and Security Framework for eHR Sharing, the Secretary for
Food and Health, Dr York Chow, said, "In 2008, the Government embarked on a
consultation on the reform of our health-care system to ensure its
sustainable development. One of the proposals which received broad public
support was developing a territory-wide patient-oriented eHR Sharing System
as essential infrastructure for our health-care system, with an aim to
enhance the quality and efficiency of health care."
The eHR Sharing System will allow timely access and sharing of participating
patients' health data by authorised health-care providers in both the public
and private health-care sectors, so as to provide patient-oriented care in a
more efficient and seamless manner, and to realise the concept of "records
follow patients".
The Finance Committee of the Legislative Council approved funding to the
Food and Health Bureau in July 2009 for the development of the first stage
of the eHR Programme. A dedicated eHR Office was set up to steer and oversee
the development of the eHR Sharing System. Pilot projects are being carried
out, allowing the public to experience the sharing of health records
electronically. By end of September this year, over 170,000 patients had
enrolled in the Public-Private Interface - Electronic Patient Record Sharing
Pilot Project, allowing authorised private health-care providers and other
registered institutions to access their medical records kept at the Hospital
Authority. The project received support from both participating patients and
health-care providers.
Dr Chow said, "Our target is to set up the eHR sharing platform by 2013-14
for connection with all public hospitals, private hospitals and
participating private clinics, allowing better integration among different
health-care providers, reducing duplicated procedures, and enabling more
timely treatment and diagnosis.
"We understand that data privacy and system security are of paramount
importance to the development of the eHR Sharing System. To this end, the
Government endeavours not only to deploy the appropriate technologies to
safeguard system security, but also to formulate a Legal, Privacy and
Security Framework for eHR sharing with reference to views of various
stakeholders as well as local and overseas experiences, so as to provide
legal protection for the privacy of patients' health data and system
security."
Dr Chow stressed that patients' participation is voluntary, and express and
informed consent must be given to the eHR Sharing System operating body and
health-care providers. Health-care providers may only access and upload
patients' eHR data with patients' authorisation and based on the
"patient-under-care" and "need-to-know" principles. Furthermore, the System
has regulations on the identification and authentication of patients,
health-care providers and health-care professionals. Only health data within
the eHR sharable scope will be accessible by authorised health-care
professionals.
Dr Chow called on members of the public to express their views on the
proposals in the consultation document. He said, "The benefits of the eHR
Sharing System are obvious. We will take into consideration the public's
views to formulate an eHR-specific legislation to protect the privacy of
patients' health data, and ensure system security and integrity. This will
facilitate implementation of the proposals and help realise the potential
and benefits of the eHR Sharing System."
Copies of the consultation document and related information can be
downloaded from the website of the eHR Office (www.ehealth.gov.hk)
and are available for collection at District Offices, public hospitals and
clinics.
The deadline for submission is February 11, 2012. The public can send their
views on this consultation document to the eHR Office, Food and Health
Bureau, by mail to 19/F, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei
Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong; by facsimile to 2102 2570; or by e-mail to
eHR@fhb.gov.hk.
Ends/Monday, December 12, 2011
Issued at HKT 14:41
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(Photo)