What is My Health Record?

What is My Health Record? 

My Health Record (MHR) is a secure, online summary of an individual’s health information. It allows healthcare providers and patients to access key health data anywhere, anytime. MHR includes details such as allergies, medications, immunisations, hospital discharge summaries, and test results. Every Australian with a Medicare or Department of Veterans’ Affairs card has a My Health Record unless they opted out when the system was introduced.

For healthcare providers, MHR supports informed clinical decisions by giving a more comprehensive view of a patient’s health history. This can reduce the need for repeated tests, enhance safety, and improve continuity of care across different healthcare settings.

Why Should Healthcare Providers Use My Health Record?

For GPs and practice managers, My Health Record offers several advantages:

• Improved Care Coordination: Multiple healthcare providers can access the same health information, ensuring seamless communication and reducing the chance of errors, such as miscommunication of medication details.
• Efficient Access to Critical Data: With patient consent, you can quickly access test results, medication histories, and hospital discharge summaries, saving time during consultations.
• Safety in Emergencies: In urgent situations, My Health Record allows clinicians to view critical health information, which can be life-saving when dealing with patients who are unable to communicate their medical history.

Key Features of My Health Record

1. Shared Health Summary: This is often uploaded by a patient’s GP and contains an overview of the patient’s health status, including medical history, medications, and allergies.
2. Pathology and Diagnostic Imaging Results: Laboratories and imaging providers can upload results directly to a patient’s My Health Record. This helps GPs and specialists access relevant test results without delays.
3. Specialist Letters: Correspondence between specialists and GPs is available, improving communication between healthcare teams.
4. Advance Care Planning: Patients can store their advance care directives and other legal documents related to their care, allowing healthcare professionals to make decisions in line with the patient’s wishes.
5. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and Medicare: My Health Record includes claims history, making it easier for providers to review medication adherence or treatment patterns.

Privacy and Security

A common concern for patients and providers alike is data privacy. My Health Record is protected under the My Health Records Act 2012, and unauthorised access can result in severe penalties. Patients can also control who views their information by setting access controls and receiving notifications when their record is accessed.

Healthcare providers must adhere to strict security protocols when accessing or uploading data to ensure the confidentiality of patient information.

For detailed privacy information, you can visit the official My Health Record website.

Getting Started with My Health Record

For Practice Managers:

• Training Your Team: Ensure all staff are aware of how to use My Health Record, including how to upload information and understand patient access controls.
• System Integration: If you’re using a practice management system like Zedmed, ensure it is integrated with My Health Record. Zedmed allows for seamless interaction with the platform, making it easy to access and update patient records directly from your clinical software.

For GPs:

• Gaining Consent: Always inform patients before accessing or uploading data to My Health Record and obtain their consent.
• Uploading Shared Health Summaries: Encourage patients to update their shared health summaries during consultations. This ensures their record remains accurate and up-to-date.

For Medical Students:

• Learning the System: Familiarise yourself with My Health Record’s features during your clinical rotations or studies. It’s a valuable tool that you will likely use frequently in practice.
• Privacy Awareness: Pay particular attention to privacy laws and ethical considerations, ensuring that patient data is handled with the utmost care.

Challenges and Considerations

While My Health Record is a powerful tool, it is not without challenges. Some healthcare professionals have raised concerns about the time it takes to update patient records, especially when under tight scheduling constraints. Additionally, not all patients are comfortable with their information being stored digitally, so it’s important to handle discussions around My Health Record with care and empathy.

The Role of Zedmed in Streamlining My Health Record Access

If you’re using Zedmed, integration with My Health Record is made simpler. Zedmed’s clinical software ensures that patient information can be accessed or uploaded without needing to switch between different platforms, allowing you to focus on patient care rather than administrative tasks. This streamlines workflows for both practice managers and GPs, enhancing efficiency and accuracy.

In Australia, you can access your medical records online for free through My Health Record, a secure digital system that stores your health information. Here’s how you can get your medical records online:

1. Create or Log in to MyGov Account

• Visit the MyGov website.
• If you don’t have an account, create one by following the instructions.
• If you already have an account, log in using your credentials.

2. Link Your My Health Record to MyGov

• Once logged into MyGov, you can link the My Health Record service to your account.
• If it’s not already linked, go to the “Services” section and select My Health Record from the list of available services.

3. Access Your Health Information

• After linking, click on the My Health Record service from your MyGov dashboard.
• You’ll be able to view key health documents, including:
  • Hospital discharge summaries
  • Pathology test results
  • Imaging reports
  • Medicare claims and immunisation records
  • Shared health summaries uploaded by your GP

4. Viewing Records

• Inside the My Health Record portal, you can browse various sections to find specific medical information, such as medications, allergies, and past treatments.
• You can also control who has access to your records by setting privacy controls.

5. Download and Share Your Records

• You can download your health records or share them with healthcare providers. This can be particularly useful for continuity of care across different doctors or specialists.

By using My Health Record, you can access your medical records online for free, conveniently from your computer or mobile device.

Conclusion

My Health Record is a transformative tool in Australian healthcare, offering comprehensive access to patient data that enhances clinical decisions, improves patient safety, and streamlines care coordination. For practice managers, GPs, and students, understanding how to effectively use My Health Record is crucial in providing the best possible care.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to optimise your practice’s use of digital health records, ensuring seamless integration through systems like Zedmed can make a significant difference in delivering efficient, informed healthcare.

For more details, visit My Health Record or speak with your clinical software provider for integration support.

Resources

My Health Record Website: https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/my-health-record