My Health Record passes 5.3m registered users

The My Health Record digital health record system has surpassed 5.3 million registered Australians and is on track for a national expansion in 2018, according to the the Australian Digital Health Agency’s first annual report.

In the agency’s debut year, it has created a new organisation; connected more than twice as many hospitals and health services to My Health Record as were connected in July 2016; and grown the volume of clinical document sharing, with 14 million prescription records now uploaded.

As announced by the government in May, My Health Record will transition to an opt-out model in 2018, with a record to be created for every Australian by the end of next year unless they actively decide not to participate.

During the financial year the agency also developed the National Digital Health strategy, consisting of seven strategic priorities for digital health in Australia, aiming to guide a coordinated approach to the delivery of digital health in the nation through 2022.

These priorities include ensuring that health information is available wherever and whenever it is needed, which can be exchanged securely and uses high-quality data with a commonly understood meaning.

The remaining priorities are ensuring better availability and access to prescription and medicine information; developing digitally enabled models of care; ensuring the workforce is confidently using digital health technologies; and developing a thriving and innovative digital health industry.

“Technology is already transforming our ability to predict, diagnose and treat disease,”  said Agency Chair Jim Birch AM.

“But there is much more we can do to realise its full potential for the health of every Australian: giving consumers more control of their health and care, connecting and empowering healthcare providers, and promoting Australia’s global leadership in digital health and innovation.”

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Maksim Kabakou