Authors (including presenting author) :
Chung HHY(1), Lau MHL(1), Cheung MHH(1), Leung KKL(1)
Affiliation :
(1)Physiotherapy Department, Kowloon Hospital
Introduction :
The Hospital Authority continuously takes a proactive approach in promoting healthcare service to enhance patient experience and facilitate operational efficiency. With the service model transformation for public healthcare, especially the demand of smart technology and seamless patient experience in the digital age, the Hospital Authority is implementing the provision of “Smart Care”. Electronic Kiosk is one of the smart technologies which allows efficient registration and payment, in order to enhance patient experience and promote departmental operational efficiency.
Objectives :
This project aims to investigate patient’s satisfaction with the Electronic Kiosk in their registration process; to review their readiness in the utilization of smart technology in hospitals; and to explore staff’s satisfaction regarding operational efficiency.
Methodology :
A patient satisfaction survey and a staff satisfaction survey regarding the Electronic Kiosk Service were conducted in the Physiotherapy Department of Kowloon Hospital from September to November 2023. A convenient sample of 84 patients who registered Out-patient Physiotherapy service via Electronic Kiosk; and 20 professional and clerical staff were recruited for the study.
Result & Outcome :
The service was found to be efficient as the study reflected the patient’s acceptance and adaptation of smart technology. Most(90%) of the patients considered the Electronic Kiosk to be an accessible and feasible way for registration and payment settling in the Physiotherapy Department, which enhances patient experience. Most of the respondents preferred to continue the usage of Electronic Kiosks in future visits(89%). With the convenience gained from present experience, 77% of the respondents reported that they would recommend others to adapt smart technologies in hospitals. This suggested that the transformation from a conventional type of service to a smart self-service in public healthcare was well-accepted by the majority.
The service was also found to be effective in enhancing operational efficiency. All staff agreed that the Electronic Kiosk saved manpower cost and promoted efficiency in registration process resulting in optimizing healthcare service. More than half(54%) of the respondents agreed that the number of Electronic Kiosks is sufficient at the moment. Concerning the growing demand of smart technology, it is recommended to promote electronic registration through software to enhance the patient journey to become environmentally friendly as the receipts, documentation and attendance certificates could entirely be paperless. The project also suggested that the practicability of patients utilizing smart technology was revealed with some association with their education level (r=.267, p=.023). Staff are encouraged to identify technical difficulties and provide prompt assistance for patients.
