Page 187 - Hospital Authority Convention 2018

Parallel Sessions

PS10.3 Technology Advancement and Innovation 13:15 Room 423 & 424

Assistive Technology: Global and Local Interests
Wong SKM
Occupational Therapy Department, Tai Po Hospital, Hong Kong
The boundaries of Assistive Technology (AT) are vague, as any technology can be assistive. In recent years, most attention HOSPITAL AUTHORITY CONVENTION 2018
goes to highly innovative technologies, like robotics, virtual reality, 3D printing, information and communication technologies
(ICT). However, the greatest demand is still in low-tech-low-cost devices. It is estimated that about one billion people require
AT products ranging from $200 billion to $1 trillion in the market. Though the demand for AT products is huge, it is estimated
that only 10% of the people in need could receive such products due to over-priced cost. Therefore, the World Health
Organization had launched the Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology (GATE) project to involve different stakeholders
to ensure more people could be benefited from AT. In the last few years, the China government had set national policies to
help people with disabilities obtain assistive products and services. The “Global Conference on Assistive Technology and
Industry 2017” was held in Beijing under the “One-Belt One-Road” umbrella. The China Disabled People’s Federation had
increased funding to provide AT to the people in need, as well as promote international collaborations. The work report of
2015 State Council proposed that modern manufacturing should combine with internet and concept, cloud computing, big
data and internet of things. AGEWELL is a Canadian network and its name stands for “Aging Gracefully across Environments
using Technology to Support Wellness, Engagement and Long Life”. This acronym explains how important AT to an ageing
population. The advances in ICT extend the accessibility and application of AT. There are Apps for general health as well as
for rehabilitation. The Hospital Authority (HA) has started developed its own Apps for public education and rehabilitation.
There is more robotic assistive technology being used in HA settings as well.

PS10.4 Technology Advancement and Innovation 13:15 Room 423 & 424

Apps Based Training via Technology – Application in Occupational Therapy
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2
1
3
1
Chan DYL , Chan KL , Ng SW , Cheung TY , Choi YS , Au KM 4
1 Occupational Therapy Department, Kowloon Hospital, Hong Kong
2 Community Rehabilitation Service Support Centre, Kowloon Hospital, Hong Kong
3 Occupational Therapy Department, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong
4 Occupational Therapy Department, Tai Po Hospital, Hong Kong
In recent years, occupational therapists (OT) of the Hospital Authority (HA) have been using “Apps” to enhance home
programme compliance. Some examples were: the “Breathe Right Apps” for chronic obstructive airway diseases; the “Support
Employment Apps” for job matching; the “Wrist Sensory Cue Watch” as a reminder for stroke home programmes; the “Chinese
Calligraphy Apps” to improve cognitive and emotional calmness of patients. There are also some ideas of cognitive Apps to Tuesday, 8 May 2018
support patients to develop a brain training habit to enhance cognitive function in handling daily functional tasks. However,
these initiatives were ad hoc funded projects with difficulty to sustain, and the captured data were not connected to HA
Clinical Management System (CMS).
In 2017, the Coordination Committee on Rehabilitation Service at HA coordinated a multidisciplinary group for a pilot run of
mobile Applications. Allied Health Information Technology (AHIT) Committee, Information Technology and Health Informatics
Team, OT and Clinical Psychologist (CP) of HA were invited to join the project. This is a big step that ideas of clinicians can be
supported at HA level. However, further team work on clinical ideas, practical consideration of technology support, funding
support will be needed to make our dream comes true – a one stop monitoring platform (CMS) in HA system for application
of apps to improve clinical service.

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