LCQ6: Development of telemedicine services
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Question:
Regarding the development of telemedicine services, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) as it is learnt that the Hospital Authority (HA) provides telemedicine services through the "HA Go" mobile application and the clinical management system used by healthcare professionals, whether the Government knows the number of tele-consultation services provided by the HA through these channels to date, the number of patients involved as well as the respective feedback from healthcare professionals and patients on these services;
(2) whether it knows the number of complaints concerning telemedicine services received by the Government and relevant public organisations in the past three years, and the content and follow-up situations respectively of those complaints; and
(3) as a study released earlier on by the Consumer Council has pointed out the privacy risks involved when consumers receive telemedicine services through applications such as WhatsApp and Zoom nowadays, whether the authorities will consider strengthening the functionality of eHealth or "HA Go" mobile applications, so that private healthcare service providers can provide telemedicine services to patients through these platforms and applications, so as to enhance the protection of personal information and health data, and promote the development of telemedicine services?
Reply:
President,
Telehealth is a type of medical service that should be provided by qualified healthcare professionals and governed by the regulatory boards and councils of relevant healthcare professions. Healthcare professionals have the responsibility to ensure services provided through telehealth comply with the codes and guidelines promulgated by regulatory authorities, are suited for the clinical setting and objective of patients, and must not compromise the professional standard because of service modes. The Medical Council of Hong Kong's Ethical Guidelines on Practice of Telemedicine stipulates clearly that doctors need to be aware of the limits of any telehealth applications and electronic communications, and alternatives must be considered if technical and environmental limitations affect telehealth services as to compromising the professional standard and duty of care of medical practices.
While the Government encourages professions to provide medical services by innovative means, non-healthcare professionals and companies must not untruthfully promote or even provide telehealth. The Government will scrutinise advertisement on telehealth to ascertain whether there are violation of the Undesirable Medical Advertisements Ordinance (Cap. 231) and whether the services so provided have violated regulations under other legislations concerning practising without a licence.
In response to the questions raised by Professor the Hon Chan Wing-kwong, my consolidated reply is as follows:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth services became prevalent in Hong Kong, being an important anti-epidemic strategy during the critical period. Telehealth has certain limitations, for instance, the establishment of a doctor-patient relationship may prove challenging, and such services may not be suitable for patients requiring in-person clinical examinations for diagnosis. Furthermore, telehealth services rely on stable technological infrastructure. Issues such as network stability, equipment, or other technical problems may affect service quality. Requiring patients to possess related equipment may increase time costs and technological threshold, particularly for elderly patients or those not familiar with technology.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hospital Authority (HA) has started to develop telehealth as a complementary measure, and has been managing the limitations of telehealth cautiously. Generally speaking, telehealth services are more suitable for chronic patients who are clinically stable, not new cases as well as those who do not need to visit hospitals to undergo clinical examinations by doctors. The HA will arrange medical services through telehealth, having taken into account the stability of the clinical conditions of patients, their clinical needs, and actual operational situations. During the three years from April 2022 to March 2025, telehealth was involved in more than 340 000 non-COVID-19 cases, including tele-consultations provided by the Community Geriatric Assessment Teams for elderly living in residential care homes for the elderly, allied health (e.g. clinical psychology service) and specialist out-patient services. The pharmacies also provide drug counselling services through remote means.
The HA's telehealth services have been operating smoothly since inception, with positive feedback from patients who generally consider the workflow simple and user-friendly, and particularly convenient for patients residing in remote areas or with mobility difficulties. Over the past three years, the HA received two complaints regarding telehealth services that mainly involved patients not being clearly informed about the service workflow, such as arrangements regarding booking appointments, drug collection and referral letters. The HA had promptly provided detailed explanations and followed up with the patients concerned. The HA will continue to regularly review the impact after the application of telehealth to ensure the services can better meet patients' needs while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
The HA's "HA Go" app is designed to assist its patients in managing their services in public hospitals and clinics, and is not suitable for use by private healthcare providers or other patients. On the other hand, the Government is implementing the "eHealth+" five-year development plan to upgrade eHealth into a comprehensive healthcare information infrastructure that integrates data sharing, service delivery and process management, with a view to supporting various healthcare policies more effectively. In considering the development of "eHealth+", we have to carefully assess the relevant factors, such as the appropriateness of the relevant functions, the effective use of public resources, data privacy and system security.
The Government will continue to closely monitor the development and adoption of telehealth services in Hong Kong, and will work with the sector and relevant stakeholders to explore the further development of telehealth in suitable services, such as outreach services and primary healthcare services including nurse clinics and allied health services, etc. The Government will also ensure boards and councils of various healthcare professions would promulgate and review specific guidelines on telehealth in a timely manner based on professional practice and operational needs, with a view to protecting the interests of patients and healthcare professionals.
Thank you, President.
Ends/Wednesday, September 10, 2025
Issued at HKT 16:25
Issued at HKT 16:25
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