Hong Kong has successfully enrolled the vast majority of its elderly population into its Electronic Health System, known as eHealth, but adoption of the accompanying mobile app remains significantly lower, highlighting an ongoing digital access gap. According to government figures, more than 1.68 million residents aged 65 and older—around 94% of the city’s elderly population—are registered with eHealth, yet fewer than half have activated the mobile app. The issue comes as Hong Kong continues expanding eHealth into a broader healthcare information infrastructure under its multi-year eHealth+ development strategy.
To improve engagement among seniors, the government has introduced updates to the eHealth App, including a simplified “Lite Mode” tailored for older users. Authorities have also launched support initiatives across all 18 districts, such as community outreach stations, home visits and training programs designed to help seniors download and navigate the platform. Additional efforts include plans to recruit students as digital mentors through partnerships with schools, NGOs and elderly centers, with the goal of improving digital literacy and encouraging wider app adoption among older residents.
The eHealth platform serves as Hong Kong’s centralized digital health management system, allowing residents to access medical records, manage healthcare services and monitor health information through a single interface. The government is also expanding the platform’s functionality beyond the city, enabling cross-border health record sharing within the Greater Bay Area and adding new features such as pathology report access. While enrollment levels suggest strong acceptance of the broader system, the lower app usage among seniors underscores the continuing challenge of ensuring digital healthcare tools remain accessible and usable for aging populations.
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