Presenter/Author:

SHUM Hong Yuen

Other Author:

NA

Author Affiliation:

Light of Raphael’s Chinese Medicine Clinic, Chai Wan, Hong Kong SAR

Keywords:

TCM, Chinese Medicine, Telemedicine, COVID-19, Elderly

Abstract:

When the fifth wave of the epidemic broke out in Hong Kong, many citizens switched to telemedicine for treatment at home. But most elderly did not benefit from telemedicine like the young. We interviewed seniors and found three common barriers that affect them to use telemedicine. Firstly, they do not know how to use video calls on their smartphones. Secondly, aging visual impairment discourages them from watching mobile phones with small screens. Thirdly, they worry online consultation is difficult for healthcare professionals to clearly understand their body situation.

In March 2022, we launched a pilot project, Clinic Without Walls, which provides Chinese Medicine online medical services to Fifty-Seven elders, and provide large-screen tablet computers with medical examination devices for them to use during their online consultation. The pilot project was successful, as the patient return rate was as high as 89.5% (51 out of 57 elders). This reflects that telemedicine could indeed solve elderly people’s medical needs. And also cleared their mindset that telemedicine is acceptable and a possible solution for themselves when they seek medical advice.

In the new normal of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no doubt that telemedicine is a new option that can significantly improve convenience and shorten the time of being treated. Chinese Medicine is a common and reliable treatment among Hong Kong elders, but we are still facing different challenges to promote Chinese Medicine telehealth services to our elderly. E.g., Types of home-use Chinese Medicine diagnostic equipment are insufficient. Elderly families are usually without an internet connection in their homes. Low-end smartphone models are commonly used in older age groups people which affects the user experience of using telemedicine. Elders seldom use mobile payment tools causes great difficulty to build a complete online business service model for them which involves service charge payment. Furthermore, the elderly that live in poverty, many of them are low literacy and even have no chance to access technology.

We are organizing learning workshops for the elderly. Teach them how to use their smartphone to access telemedicine services. We are also installing ICT devices in different elderly centers. So that underprivileged elderly could have a chance to access telemedicine services. We are still looking for more solutions to shorten the digital divide and to bring a new choice of access to medical services for the elderly as early as possible, to prepare for the coming wave of the pandemic.

Reference:

N/A

Funding Source:

Funding received for executing the above project (Workshops and installing ICT devices): The Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund (SIE Fund)

Conflict of Interests:

Author is the Chief Executive Officer of the Light of Raphael which execute the above mentioned project.