Authors (including presenting author) :
Tung MKM(1), Lee HWH(2), Chan HCT(1), Loh A(2), Ng MTM(3)
Affiliation :
(1)Administrative Services Division, Kwong Wah Hospital, (2) Information Technology Division, Kowloon Central Cluster, (3)Nursing Services Division, Kwong Wah Hospital
Keyword 1: :
Mobile Application
Keyword 2: :
Hospital Digital Transformation
Keyword 3: :
Private 5G and RTLS
Keyword 4: :
Workflow Optimisation
Keyword 5: :
Sustainable Operations
Keyword 6: :
AI‑enabled Decision
Introduction :
Kwong Wah Hospital (KWH) underwent major redevelopment and adopted an "Operation on Move" strategy to address the long standing mismatch between highly mobile clinical workflows and legacy desktop based communication and systems. A hospital wide staff mobile app, "KWH@Work", was developed as a WeChat style Super App running on a highly secure private 5G network with full Real Time Location System (RTLS) coverage, providing a single mobile entry point to clinical and non clinical systems.
Objectives :
To design and implement a cluster cloud mobile application platform (CCMAP) and "KWH@Work" to: (1) replace desktop phones with mobile extensions as the primary communication mode; (2) digitise and streamline key clinical and support workflows through modular mini apps; (3) enhance visibility, safety and timeliness of hospital operations via real time dashboards; and (4) create an AI ready, scalable foundation for future sustainable hospital development across the Hospital Authority.
Methodology :
A single site mixed methods case study was adopted in an acute public hospital. Core workflows (ordering, inspections, portering, bed cleansing, equipment tracking) were mapped, with pain points in the legacy model used to define requirements for five core modules: “eOrder”, “eInspection”, “eService” and “eTrace”. A modular, cloud native architecture on HA private cloud integrated private 5G, RTLS, LoRa sensors and HL7 interfaces with existing hospital systems. Agile development with iterative prototyping and frontline user testing was combined with automated DevOps/CI CD pipelines and code scanning to enable frequent, secure releases. Implementation followed a phased roll out (pilot areas then hospital wide), supported by structured training, super user networks and governance on device management, identity, cybersecurity and data privacy. Quantitative indicators (e.g. order volumes, response and turnaround times, utilisation, mobile usage patterns) and qualitative feedback (staff surveys, focus groups, interviews) were analysed.
Result & Outcome :
Over 2,500 mobile phones were deployed as primary communication devices, achieving high uptake of “KWH@Work” across clinical and non-clinical departments. Key workflows, including Facilities Management building eInspection checklists and Supporting Services eService bed cleansing requests, were fully digitalised, enabling on site mobile documentation, standardised data capture, traceability and faster task closure. This has helped enhance patient quality and safety by eliminating transcription errors, reducing the risk of delayed responses, and ensuring that the right information reaches the right recipient at the right time with high accuracy. Role based dashboards provided near real time insights for capacity planning, bottleneck identification and staff deployment, contributing to more proactive operations management. The initiative is estimated to generate recurrent savings of approximately HK$31 million per year, with workflow streamlining and mobility releasing about 55,060 hours of direct patient care time annually, equivalent to 18.3 FTE doctors and 7.5 FTE nurses. Overall efficiency has been enhanced through elimination of manual and paper based processes, reduction of human error in repetitive tasks such as locating doctors, and enabling simultaneous access to the same information by multiple users, while integration with clinical systems facilitates AI driven analytics and automated task assignment to further optimise operations.
