Right: Medical opinions: Australian Medical Association / AMA director Tony Bartone is a supporter of My Health Record, putting him at odds with one of his predecessors, Kerryn Phelps, who has reservations.
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Background information
The information below is abbreviated from two sources: the Wikipedia entry titled ' Australian Digital Health Agency'
and the My Health Record Internet site. The Australian Government has a policy to development a lifetime electronic health record called My Health Record. This was initially deployed in July 2012, and is under active development and extension by the Australian Digital Health Agency at a cost of $2 billion. The agency was established in 2016.
Unless they opt out by 15 November 2018 all Australians with a Medicare card will have a My Health Record automatically created in their name. Opting out has to be done by telephone. In October, 2018, 1,147,000 had opted out, but the agency, and the Health Minister Greg Hunt declined to update the figure before the deadline. Those who wish to opt out subsequently can have their record deleted. The records cannot be released to police or government agencies without a court order. Hunt subsequently extended the deadline to January 31 2019 and increased penalties for those who misuse the system, doubling the level of fines to $315,000 and increasing the maximum jail sentence to five years.
What is My Health Record?
My Health Record is an online summary of an individual's health information available to all Australians.
Healthcare providers authorised by their healthcare organisation can access My Health Record to view and add to their patients' health information.
My Health Record does not replace existing health records. Rather, it supplements these with a shared source of patient information that can improve care planning and decision making.
Information available through My Health Record can include, information available through My Health Record can include a patient's shared health summary (e.g. diagnoses, current medications, allergies and adverse reactions); medication prescribing and dispensing history; the Medicines Information View; discharge summaries; specialist letters; referrals; information about a patient's past health events and pathology reports.
As more people and healthcare organisations use the My Health Record system, Australia's national health system will become better connected. A My Health Record will be created for every Australian by the end of 2018, unless they choose not to have one.
The medical databank
Two years of data from the Medicare Benefits Schedule, Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, Australian Immunisation Register and Australian Organ Donor Register will be automatically updated the first time a patient's doctor looks at his/her record.
Otherwise it's up to the patient's doctor to upload the information and they will decide what records to put on the patient's file.
Accessing a patient's My Health Record
Providers associated with organisations already registered for My Health Record can access a patient's My Health Record in two ways:
Through hospital and practice-based clinical information systems that are My Health Record-ready;
Over the web, through a desktop, tablet or mobile phone web browser.
Any registered health provider like a doctor, pharmacist, physiotherapist, nurse, diagnostic imaging and pathology practice will be able to see a patient's record.
Others registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, such as a chiropractor, optometrist, osteopath, dentist, psychologist and Chinese medical practitioner will also be able to access a patient's medical data.
Security and privacy
Security is a key design element of the My Health Record system, which adheres to Australian Government security requirements. My Health Record data is stored in Australia, and is protected by high grade security protocols to detect and mitigate against external threats. The system is tested frequently to ensure these mechanisms are robust and working as designed.