Authors (including presenting author) :
Leung OKC(1), Fung VH(1), Hung VYS(1), Chan HKC(2), Lau SKK(2)
Affiliation :
(1)Health Informatics Section, Hospital Authority (2)Information Technology Department, Hospital Authority
Introduction :
The patient mobile app ‘HA Go’, as a one-stop platform for all HA apps, has been launched in Dec 2019 to facilitate patients to manage healthcare at their fingertips. To enter the digital door of the HA Go, a complete registration system through a simple design on user interface and user experience (UI/UX) becomes the first and essential step.
Objectives :
A membership system was built to authenticate individual patient and protect patient confidentiality through the in-app simple on-boarding process.
Methodology :
A 2-step registration is adopted to ensure the correct patient identification: (1) submit minimal and essential personal information and (2) activate HA Go account at hospitals or clinics in-person. Patients can simply follow the step-by-step instructions to complete the in-app registration. To strengthen the correct patient identification, patients are requested to register with their Hong Kong Identity Card (HKID) number and name which will be checked against the Patient Master Index (PMI) in HA. An HA Go account activation QR code will be sent to the registered phone. Username and password is taken as the login credentials to HA Go that patient confidentiality can be protected. Currently, adult patients who are HKID holders are welcomed to join HA Go. Patients can activate their HA Go account at the designated counters by presenting the QR code and their HKID card. The Patient Administrative System (PAS) has been enhanced to activate the patient’s HA Go account by scanning the QR code after verifying the patient’s identity. Patient Group representatives were consulted with supportive feedback on the design. Frequently Asked Questions, website introducing HA Go details and enquiry email were developed as an assistant in HA Go to support patient communication.
Result & Outcome :
Since the official launch on 12-Dec-2019, there were 328,386 registrations on 31-Dec-2020 with 5,947,000+ access to HA Go which revealed patient’s adoption to the simple registration design. With support of the newly-built function in PAS, clinic staff could complete the activation process within 2 seconds. The HA Go registration system not only provides patient and staff a one-stop platform on registration and activation, it also protects patient data and privacy and authenticates patient identification. The team will discuss with various parties to further streamline the on-boarding process and expand to more patient groups, e.g. minor patients.
