Authors (including presenting author) :
Chow, HWJ (1), So, YNL (1), Yang, LNM(1), Chin, MHA(1), Chu, WHC(1), Ma, WLE (1)
Affiliation :
(1) Community Rehabilitation Service Support Centre, Hospital Authority
Introduction :
In Hong Kong, the population’s ageing and the prevalence of the chronic diseases have contributed to the health related driving risks. Different types of health problems can cause functional impairments and specific problems to driving.
Meanwhile, patients can request for assessment when they wish to drive. Moreover, clinicians may also perform screening and make referrals for comprehensive driver assessment. Community Rehabilitation Service Support Centre (CRSSC) is the HA centre that has been providing comprehensive driver assessment for patients with different kinds of medical conditions.
For assisting clinicians to consider appropriate assessments and criteria for evaluating fitness to drive, many countries have developed their own specific medical guidelines. However, there is no relevant and updated clinical reference in Hong Kong for this purpose.
Similar concerns were also raised by local authority. In 2021, the Ombudsman has performed direct investigation into the requirements for physical fitness certification of driving licence applicants/holders. The recommendations urged specifying the examination items for such assessment and providing professionals with guidelines in this regard so that they can assess more effectively whether the persons are physically fit to drive. ( Ombudsman(2021) Transport Department’s Requirements for Physical Fitness Certification of Driving Licence Applicants/Holders (Full report))
Objectives :
1. To develop a clinical reference for the Hospital Authority health care professionals for assessing and making recommendations for patients with needs in driving either private or commercial vehicles.
2. To promote the use of up-to-date clinical knowledge related to patient driving and that knowledge could be incorporated in clinical decisions.
Methodology :
The project of “Clinical Reference for Assessing Patients’ Fitness to Drive” was launched under the endorsement of the CRSSC Advisory Group in 2019.
Many local experts and professional groups have made great contributions in the draft writing and the reviewing the related reference. They included CRSSC driver rehabilitation team, Kowloon Hospital Driver Rehab Clinic, HA Coordination Committees, Central Committees and individual specialists and the Transport Department(HKSAR).
The book highlights the existing clinical process in assessing patients’ fitness to drive and describes a list of medical conditions that commonly induce driving ability concerns, as well as the recommended assessments and criteria for driving resumption.
Result & Outcome :
The first edition of Clinical Reference for Assessing Patients’ Fitness to Drive (2023 edition) was targeted to be launched in Feb, 2023. It will act as a base of communication and discussion on fitness to drive between CRSSC and HA medical professionals. The recommendations and reports prepared by CRSSC will also be referenced to this new material.
In order to evaluate the compliance of driver rehabilitation professionals in using the reference, an audit on documentation and report will be conducted in 4Q2023.
