Authors: (including presenting author): :
Leung NC(1), Chan CYK(1), Ng HW(1), Tse YWE(1), Leung KY(1), Fung MLE(1)
Affiliation: :
(1) Occupational Therapy Department, Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospita
Keyword 1: :
Smart Hospital
Keyword 2: :
Patient Management
Keyword 3: :
Occupational Therapy
Keyword 4: :
Patient Safety
Keyword 5: :
Clinical Efficiency
Introduction: :
The Occupational Therapy Department at Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital provides group training for over 80 patients daily. Traditionally, coordination relied on paper records and stopwatches, a labour-intensive process prone to human errors such as misassigned training and treatment delays. This manual workflow increased administrative burden and posed potential risks to patient safety.
Objectives: :
The project aimed to develop a Smart Patient Management System (SPMS) in alignment with the corporate directions of Smart Care and Smart Hospital. Its key objectives were to optimize scheduling and monitoring of patient training, promote paperless documentation, enhance resource utilization, and mitigate clinical risks by ensuring accurate treatment delivery in an acute hospital’s occupational therapy department.
Methodology: :
Existing group training workflows were reviewed to design SPMS functions, including digital prescriptions, photo input for personalized treatment activities, real-time training tracking, and automated reminders. System development commenced in April 2024 through collaboration with an IT vendor, followed by user acceptance testing in November 2024. Staff received hands-on training and user manuals before a pilot launch in December 2024, with subsequent system refinement and evaluation of staff feedback completed in March 2025.
Result & Outcome: :
A total of 670 patient profiles were created from March to December 2025. SPMS enabled simultaneous coordination of multiple group sessions through precise digital scheduling and timing, significantly improving operational efficiency. The system eliminated paper records, supported data-driven monitoring of equipment usage for procurement and maintenance planning, and implemented a two-stage digital verification process for treatment prescriptions to minimize the risk of misprescription rather than eliminate it. Staff feedback was highly positive, with 95% reporting satisfaction and perceiving workflow improvements, alongside reduced work stress among patient care assistants.
