The digital signature is of the same legal effect as a traditional manual signature, the spokesperson for the Hospital Authority (HA) said. Same as the manually signed traditional version, the digitally signed one will include the patient's name and the information relevant to the consultation.

There will be an encrypted QR code on the e-sick note. By scanning the QR code and inputting the patient's name and sick leave date, the electronic medical certificate can be verified.

It will be automatically stored in "My Record" under the HA mobile application HA Go feature "MyHealth".

The spokesperson reiterated that the digitization of the sick leave certificate is an important milestone in the development of the smart hospital. In addition, the e-certificates can reduce the risk of losing the paper one and is easy for patients to access.

The HA encourages patients to opt for electronic certificates in the future. However, it will continue to print paper medical certificates with a digital signature, and attendance certificates for patients.