The Health Bureau will launch the “eHealth+ Connectivity Support Scheme” tomorrow, aiming to encourage private healthcare providers (HCPs) to adopt clinical management systems (CMSes) that allow patients' medical records to be deposited into their personal eHealth accounts.

The "eHealth+ Connectivity Accreditation Scheme" will be rolled out on the same day, making it more convenient for patients to identify and choose eHealth-connected HCPs.

Under the support scheme, the Government will provide dedicated technical support and sponsorship to private HCPs, encouraging them to adopt or upgrade to eHealth-connected CMSes.

Such HCPs are also urged to deposit patients’ electronic health records into their personal eHealth accounts upon authorisation.

Starting from tomorrow until March 31 next year, eligible private HCPs can apply for monthly sponsorship of $500 per eligible registered doctor, for up to 12 months, to support their use of the accredited CMSes.

As for the accreditation scheme, the bureau explained that at present shareable data in eHealth includes 11 types of electronic health records (eHRs). The scheme will introduce three levels of accreditation – gold mark, silver mark, and bronze mark – corresponding to HCPs’ levels of capability in depositing eHRs into eHealth.

Special marks are also introduced for medical laboratory centres and radiology diagnostics centres that can deposit reports into eHealth, with a view to assisting patients in selecting these services.

The first phase of the accreditation scheme encompasses Western medicine HCPs, medical laboratory centres, and radiology diagnostics centres, the bureau stated.