Authors (including presenting author) :
Yip H(1), Tang KS(1), Chan J(2), Pang J(2)
Affiliation :
(1)Smart Hospital 2.0 Workgroup, Kwong Wah Hospital, (2)HAHO IT & HI
Keyword 1: :
Tele-Consultation/Telehealth
Keyword 2: :
Smart Hospital 2.0 Workgroup
Keyword 3: :
IT-based patient identification criteria
Keyword 4: :
Proactive outreach/telephone contact
Keyword 5: :
Tele-clinic conversion
Keyword 6: :
Operational efficiency
Introduction :
The conversion of traditional outpatient clinic cases to tele-clinic formats presents several operational challenges that impact the efficiency and sustainability of patient care. Currently, case identification for tele-clinic conversion is performed on an ad-hoc basis at clinics, mainly relying on healthcare workers to initiate promotion. This approach can lead to inconsistent selection criteria and missed opportunities for eligible patients.
Objectives :
To streamline and standardize the selection process for potential telehealth-eligible patients, replacing traditional manual screening, which is labor-intensive and prone to variation among teams.
Methodology :
Since late 2024, the KWH Smart Hospital 2.0 Workgroup has been established to oversee telehealth development. The team has developed “IT-based criteria” for identifying potential telehealth candidates, with prior endorsement by unit heads in the specialty clinic. HAHO IT system generates a patient list according to the “IT-based criteria”, which is then distributed to KWH for further processing. A memo will be placed in the patient’s OPD record folder to inform the attending doctor that the patient is a potential candidate for a telehealth consultation at the next follow-up. A designated staff member will contact the patient 2–4 weeks before the scheduled follow-up. The staff will obtain the patient’s preliminary consent and address concerns regarding telehealth.
Result & Outcome :
From May to October 2025, between 41 and 85 patients were identified per month, totaling 395 patients over six months. Among them, 106 patients were successfully reached and agreed to telehealth consultation, and 22 of these (20.7%) ultimately proceeded with telehealth after the doctor’s consultation. For patients who could not be reached by phone (197 in total), 15 (7.6%) subsequently opted for a telehealth consultation after their clinic visit. Among the 395 patients identified by the IT system as potential telehealth candidates, 19 (4.8%) were subsequently either discharged from specialist follow-up or stepped down to GOPC care. Conclusions: Proactive telephone outreach before the consultation can enhance the success rate of converting subsequent follow-up appointments to telehealth. Nevertheless, even among patients who were not successfully contacted in advance, a proportion remained willing to try telehealth in future follow-ups. Additionally, several cases have been identified and are being transferred to GOPC or discharged from clinic.
