A digital evolution in healthcare is underway that will place your health information in your hands.
My Health Record is a digital summary of your key health information being created for people who choose to have one to improve their healthcare.
It means your important healthcare facts such as allergies, immunisations, current conditions and treatments, medicines, pathology or diagnostic imaging reports can be digitally stored in one place.
Already 5.9 million Australians have a record, and by the end of 2018 a My Health Record will be created for every person with a Medicare card or Department of Veterans’ Affairs card, unless they choose not to have one.
How will My Health Record help you?
Some of the benefits include convenient, immediate access to your health information in one place which can be used by doctors, specialists or hospitals that you choose to authorise.
It can be accessed from a digital device when travelling around Australia or if you frequently move for work.
In the case of a medical emergency and you are unable to communicate, healthcare providers can quickly access your information to provide better treatment.
Personal privacy
The protection of patient information and privacy is critical and there are strong safeguards in place to protect health data in Australia.
Data cannot be used for commercial and non-health-related purposes, including direct marketing to consumers, insurance assessments, and eligibility for welfare benefits.
Security
My Health Record has security controls to restrict unauthorised access and guard against cyber-attacks including secure gateways, firewalls, encryption, authentication mechanisms and malicious content filtering.
The Australian Digital Health Agency’s Cyber Security Centre monitors for suspicious activities.
During the opt out period – 16 July to 15 October – individuals who do not want a record will be able to opt out by visiting the My Health Record website or by calling 1800 723 471 for phone-based assistance.