A territory-wide electronic health record--from concept to practicality: the Hong Kong experience

In Hong Kong, a pilot project is being undertaken to implement a web-based electronic patient record system to allow integrated, real time patient based information to be shared in clinics, private and public hospitals. Such sharing aims to ensure that complete and accurate healthcare information is available to citizens' multiple points of care through a stable IT system. A challenge is to share this electronic information whilst ensuring privacy and security. Hong Kong has achieved its initial goals and pioneered in building a territory-wide electronic health record (EHR). This paper will outline the tasks involved, approach, method used and initial review of the pilot project. Barriers to implementation are discussed and critical success factors are identified.