The Health Bureau (HHB) announced today (Jan. 20) that Hong Kong citizens can authorize designated medical institutions outside Hong Kong to deposit their radiology reports and images into their personal eHealth accounts through the "Personal Folder" function in the eHealth mobile application (eHealth App) starting from Jan. 27. This will enable citizens to store and utilise electronic health records from healthcare services received outside Hong Kong more conveniently and securely, thereby facilitating greater continuity of care.
Starting from Jan. 27, citizens can submit an authorisation application through the "Personal Folder" function in the eHealth App before receiving radiology services at three designated medical institutions outside Hong Kong (namely the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen New Frontier United Family Hospital, and Zhongshan Chen Xinghai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine). Citizens will then receive an "Authorisation QR Code" in the mobile application. When seeking medical care at the designated medical institutions, citizens can present the QR code along with their Hong Kong identity card to local healthcare personnel for identity verification and authorisation. The medical institution will then assist citizens in directly depositing the radiology reports and images from that consultation into their personal eHealth accounts. Moreover, eHealth users can apply for the service on behalf of family members using the "Caregiver" function in the mobile application.
Compared to the current arrangement, where citizens can self-deposit medical records into their personal eHealth accounts, this upgraded function supports the deposit of high-resolution radiology images, which are often challenging for citizens to upload themselves. In addition to viewing the relevant records through the mobile application, citizens can also authorize healthcare providers in Hong Kong to access them through the eHealth system during follow-up care.
A spokesperson for the HHB said, "Since July 2024, the HHB has launched the 'Personal Folder' function to enable citizens to self-deposit medical records obtained during consultations outside Hong Kong to eHealth, under the principle of 'bring your own health records'. The introduction of the high-resolution radiology image function upgrade marks a significant step in cross-boundary medical record sharing. This upgrade enables citizens to consolidate medical records obtained from various healthcare processes into their personal eHealth accounts, providing greater convenience for future management and use. Building on the experience gained from implementing the new function, we will continue to optimise the processes and enhance the user experience, and gradually extend the function to cover more types of medical records and institutions, with a view to more effectively supporting citizens using cross-boundary healthcare services."
The HHB has set up support stations at the three designated medical institutions outside Hong Kong to assist Hong Kong citizens in registering for eHealth, downloading the eHealth App, and using the relevant function. Citizens can also view tutorial videos on the eHealth App, eHealth's thematic website, and social media platforms to learn about the usage and purpose of the new function.
For more details, please visit the eHealth thematic website or call the hotline at 3467 6300. The hotline service runs from 9 am to 9 pm from Mondays to Fridays (except public holidays).
Related News:
Comment