e-services at SOPC help shorten the attendance time
The Hospital Authority (HA) enhances the patient journey through continuous review of its operational arrangements and utilising ‘HA Go’ and kiosk to shorten the queueing and attendance time. 80% of patients attending specialist outpatient clinic (SOPC) could complete the whole journey within two hours.
Patients will receive a reminder one day before their SOPC appointment. Two hours before the appointment, they can log on to ‘HA Go’ and complete the registration and payment. In SOPC, Patient Services Ambassadors promote and provide assistance to patients and encourage them to make good use of ‘HA Go’ and the electronic services.
Before consultation, patients can scan the appointment or payment slip barcode on their mobile phone at the eHealth station, and measure their blood pressure, as well as height and weight. The results will be uploaded instantly.
While waiting for consultation, patients can check the current queue status through ‘EasyQ’ of ‘HA Go’. The electronic screen outside the consultation rooms will also display the current consultation timeslot.
If patients have received a referral letter, they can submit the application of SOPC new case appointment and allied health outpatient clinic new case appointment through ‘BookHA’ of ‘HA Go’. If necessary, patients can cancel the appointment or apply for postponement in the app.
Patients can schedule the blood taking through the smart blood taking scheduling kiosks. The booking record can later be accessed at ‘HA Go’.
After consultation, patients can settle the drug payment by ‘HA Go’. They can also collect ticket numbers, and check the real-time queuing status through ‘EasyQ’. When the medicines are ready, ‘HA Go’ will remind patients to collect the medicines through mobile notifications.
Patients can also choose the medication delivery service to have their medication delivered to their home or specified address, so that they do not need to wait at the pharmacies.
Mr Tsang (right) is now in his 80s and has undergone two knee replacement surgeries. He has to go to Tseung Kwan O Hospital for follow-up appointments every few months, accompanied by Mrs Tsang (left), who is also in her 80s. A year ago, both of them registered as ‘HA Go’ members and have been impressed by its convenient features. “We can see the appointment schedule in the app and receive reminders for follow-up consultations, which are very considerate,” says Mr Tsang. He also finds it more convenient to get medication with ‘HA Go’. “Now, we do not have to stand by at the pharmacy. We can go to the washroom and walk slowly to the pharmacy after the app notifies us to get our medicines. It is very elderly friendly,” Mr Tsang smiles.
Mr Tsang has difficulty getting on and off the vehicles after the operation. Mrs Tsang is very satisfied with the arrangement of tele-consultation. “Two to three weeks after the operation, the doctor examined my husband’s walking posture and the healing of his wound through tele-consultation, which was much simpler as we did not have to travel to the hospital. Although we are not familiar with electronic products, we will learn more about new technology as the innovations make life easier and faster,” Mrs Tsang explains.
Interview video
1. Register and pay in advance
Patients will receive a reminder one day before their SOPC appointment. Two hours before the appointment, they can log on to ‘HA Go’ and complete the registration and payment. In SOPC, Patient Services Ambassadors promote and provide assistance to patients and encourage them to make good use of ‘HA Go’ and the electronic services.
2. Self-service at eHealth station
Before consultation, patients can scan the appointment or payment slip barcode on their mobile phone at the eHealth station, and measure their blood pressure, as well as height and weight. The results will be uploaded instantly.
3. Easy queuing
While waiting for consultation, patients can check the current queue status through ‘EasyQ’ of ‘HA Go’. The electronic screen outside the consultation rooms will also display the current consultation timeslot.
4. Follow-up appointment
Some patients may have more than one appointment, e.g. in SOPC and allied health clinics. Staff will communicate with patients, considering their preferences and the nature of the appointments, to arrange the preferred appointments scheduling as far as possible, reducing the need for multiple visits to the clinic.5. New case appointment
If patients have received a referral letter, they can submit the application of SOPC new case appointment and allied health outpatient clinic new case appointment through ‘BookHA’ of ‘HA Go’. If necessary, patients can cancel the appointment or apply for postponement in the app.
6. Self-service blood taking scheduling
Patients can schedule the blood taking through the smart blood taking scheduling kiosks. The booking record can later be accessed at ‘HA Go’.
7. Pay and collect ticket number online
After consultation, patients can settle the drug payment by ‘HA Go’. They can also collect ticket numbers, and check the real-time queuing status through ‘EasyQ’. When the medicines are ready, ‘HA Go’ will remind patients to collect the medicines through mobile notifications.
Medication delivery service
Patients can also choose the medication delivery service to have their medication delivered to their home or specified address, so that they do not need to wait at the pharmacies.
Users' feedback
Mr Tsang (right) is now in his 80s and has undergone two knee replacement surgeries. He has to go to Tseung Kwan O Hospital for follow-up appointments every few months, accompanied by Mrs Tsang (left), who is also in her 80s. A year ago, both of them registered as ‘HA Go’ members and have been impressed by its convenient features. “We can see the appointment schedule in the app and receive reminders for follow-up consultations, which are very considerate,” says Mr Tsang. He also finds it more convenient to get medication with ‘HA Go’. “Now, we do not have to stand by at the pharmacy. We can go to the washroom and walk slowly to the pharmacy after the app notifies us to get our medicines. It is very elderly friendly,” Mr Tsang smiles.
Mr Tsang has difficulty getting on and off the vehicles after the operation. Mrs Tsang is very satisfied with the arrangement of tele-consultation. “Two to three weeks after the operation, the doctor examined my husband’s walking posture and the healing of his wound through tele-consultation, which was much simpler as we did not have to travel to the hospital. Although we are not familiar with electronic products, we will learn more about new technology as the innovations make life easier and faster,” Mrs Tsang explains.
Interview video