Australian healthcare providers prepare for My Health Record expansion

The Agency and its partner organisations are engaging with healthcare providers across Australia to prepare for the transition to an “opt out” system.

The Australian Digital Health Agency (the Agency) is working with its partner organisations to ensure that all healthcare providers in Australia are aware of and ready for the commencement of the expansion of the My Health Record system to all Australians, otherwise known as “opt out”. Key readiness education points will support clinicians to discuss the benefits of My Health Record with consumers, and to direct them to further information if required.

The Agency’s key delivery partners include Primary Health Networks (PHNs), jurisdictions, private hospitals and clinical peak bodies. Some of the more notable recent engagement activities are as follows:

• Jurisdictions have commenced front-line awareness, including clinical staff, in each state and territory to ensure readiness for the opt out period.
• Thirty-one PHNs have been engaged to provide awareness and have reached out to over 4,000 GP practices and 2,800 community pharmacies. As a measure of progress, three PHNs have reached 100% GP awareness (North Coast NSW, ACT and Country SA) and three have reached 100% pharmacy awareness (Nepean Blue Mountains, North West Melbourne and Country SA) already! The PHNs have also provided awareness and education to over 275 private specialists and 1,000 allied health practitioners.
• The Agency’s Provider Readiness Education team has provided, to date, over 700 education sessions across the country to a wide range of clinical stakeholders.
• Connected private hospitals are ramping up activities and plan to commence intensive awareness activities in the month prior to opt out. An early awareness and education webinar for private hospitals is scheduled for the 14th of May.
• The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Agency will work together to help raise awareness and support for GPs and their patients to effectively use the My Health Record. In addition, the RACGP will offer a professional development program to help GPs understand the key principles that underpin the use of the My Health Record by healthcare providers.

These engagement programs and others will ensure that Australian healthcare providers are fully prepared to support consumers in understanding the benefits of a personal My Health Record to support their care now and into the future.