CareSync Exchange

Better, faster, safer care through improved health information sharing

The Victorian Government is improving the safety and continuity of care for patients through the sharing of health information across Victoria's public health services and hospitals.

The Department of Health is implementing CareSync Exchange, a secure electronic patient health information sharing system, to provide clinicians with critical patient health information at the point of care.

CareSync Exchange improves safety and continuity across Victorian public health services. Clinicians will spend less time seeking information, enabling more time to do what they do best: providing care to patients.

With CareSync Exchange, the patient's treating clinician can access the following information to support clinical decision making and continuity of care:

• Patient details, including demographics and emergency contacts.
• Patient hospital visits including inpatient, emergency, and outpatient.
• Clinical documents, diagnostic test reports and hospital discharge summaries.

As CareSync Exchange continues to evolve, clinicians will be able to view additional clinical information, such as:

• medications
• allergies
• radiology reports

CareSync Exchange supports a more seamless patient experience, reduces unnecessary tests and builds a more integrated public healthcare system focused on improving patient safety and outcomes.

Watch a case study video of CareSync Exchange in action

Current information-sharing practices across the health system

CareSync Exchange has been established in response to recommendations made in critical reports into Victoria's healthcare system - Targeting Zero and the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System to improve health information sharing practices between public health services.

In Victorian public health services, treating clinicians rely on patients, their families, and carers to remember which health services they attended. Clinicians then try to source health information from other services, often via outdated methods like fax.

This leads to duplication and fragmentation in the way the information is shared. Patient safety is at risk where clinical information, such as past test results, medications, and allergies, is not readily accessible.

Secure health information sharing provides complete and accurate health information to clinicians at the point of care. This ensures the best care and treatment for patients across Victoria, no matter where they are or which public health service they visit.

Amendments to the Health Services Act 1988 allow for health information sharing between specified public health services via the department-operated system. The legislation came into effect on 7 February 2024.

Safer and more secure health information sharing

The confidentiality and security of patient data are the government's highest priority. The Department of Health is responsible for ensuring that health information in the system is kept safe, secure, and protected from unauthorised access.

A robust Privacy Management Framework governs the operation of CareSync Exchange.

The Framework:

• addresses privacy obligations
• details the conditions required to access information about sensitive health conditions, and
• details additional protections for vulnerable groups in circumstances like family violence.

Clinicians, health services and the department are legally required to comply with the Framework.

The system also complies with the Victorian Protective Data Security Standards (VPDSS), established by Victoria's privacy regulator, the Office of the Information Commissioner (OVIC).

Project status

Information from Austin Health, Eastern Health, Northern Health, and Monash Health is now available in CareSync Exchange.

In June 2025, Austin Health became the first health service to use CareSync Exchange to view patient information, followed by Eastern Health in July 2025.

Implementation is underway with Alfred Health, Monash Health, Northern Health, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, the Royal Children’s Hospital, the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and the Royal Women’s Hospital.

A progressive state-wide rollout to all remaining Victorian Public Health Services is to commence from 2026 onwards.

Health Information Sharing Management Committee

The Health Information Sharing Management Committee provides specialist advice and independent oversight for CareSync Exchange to the Secretary.

It oversees the development and implementation of key policies for the system, as well as its ongoing safety, risk, and quality management.

Key activities of the committee include:

• Reviewing and endorsing the Privacy Management Framework and associated policies and procedures to ensure robust health information management practices.
• Reviewing and endorsing audit and assurance frameworks to ensure they support the safe operation of the system.
• Monitoring system incident management to ensure appropriate management and enable system-wide improvements.
• Conducting reviews, providing reports, advice and recommendations to the Secretary on matters relating to the operation of the health information sharing system.

The Committee consists of 8 independent members with no departmental responsibilities. Each member brings diverse skills and experience relevant to the system's operation.

Who can access shared health information?

Access to CareSync Exchange is granted for the purpose of providing clinical care to a patient. Only authorised clinicians working in public health services can access and use information to inform treatment and care decisions.

The Health Services Act 1988 contains the complete list of public health services that will use the system.

Authorised IT and technical support staff may access the system to maintain it, including undertaking security and system management tasks.

Clinicians in private health services and general practitioners will not have access to the system.

Information in the CareSync Exchange may cannot be used for research or policy planning.

Patient access to their health information

Patients can also request their medical records from their public health service provider under the Freedom of Information Act.

Public health services must provide timely access to a patient's medical records upon request.

The information in CareSync Exchange is a subset of the full medical records held by health services. The health service (or health services) at which a patient has received treatment will continue to keep the entire medical record associated with that treatment.

Patients can request a report from their health service detailing who has accessed their information in CareSync Exchange.

Treating health services will continue to be best placed to respond to patients' requests for access to their medical records.

Complementary to My Health Record

CareSync Exchange complements and works alongside the My Health Record system to provide a comprehensive view of a patient’s health at the point of care with a clinician.

My Health Record is a national patient-controlled system that includes GP and private provider information, enabling patients to choose which health data is uploaded and shared, including cross-border information. Private pathology and medical imaging reports can be included in My Health Record. Patients can choose which information is uploaded and shared.

Resources

The Clinicians Health Channel hosts a range of clinician-specific and consumer-related CareSync Exchange resources for use within health service settings.