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Hong Kong lets patients upload end-of-life directives to eHealth
The new system begins July 31, and uploads must be handled by a registered doctor, providing clearer legal protection for patients and healthcare workers.
Hong Kong will allow residents to upload advance orders specifying which life-sustaining treatments they do not want when terminally ill to the city’s electronic health record platform starting next Friday.
According to the SCMP, the change takes effect more than 20 months after lawmakers passed the Advance Decision on Life-sustaining Treatment Ordinance, which formalises end-of-life care arrangements beyond the existing common law use of advance medical directives and DNACPR orders in public hospitals.
Hospital Authority clinical ethics committee chairwoman Dr Doris Tse Man-wah said the legislation is a milestone for end-of-life care, adding it is designed to reduce uncertainties and strengthen legal protection for people who draft directives and for frontline rescue personnel.
From July 31, the images of drafted advance medical directives can be uploaded to the eHealth platform, but the upload must be done by a registered doctor.