My Health Record for Victorian Health Services

The My Health Record system is a secure, consumer-controlled online service operated by the Australian Government that supports better patient and consumer outcomes through better access to information.

Authorised healthcare providers can access My Health Record to view and add patient health information to inform important clinical decisions and achieve positive health outcomes.

My Health Record will support better patient outcomes by providing timely access to health information in all treatment settings.

My Health Record may contain:

• medical history (shared health, event and discharge summaries)
• medicines information (pharmacist shared medicines lists, prescription and dispense records
• allergies and adverse reactions
• immunisations from the Australian Immunisation Register
• Medical Benefits Scheme (MBS) and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) items
• pathology and diagnostic imaging test reports
• advance care planning
• specialist letters
• e-Referrals.

As My Health Record matures, the range of content contributed by different healthcare providers will support improved health outcomes for healthcare recipients. This will enhance the safety, quality and efficiency of Australia's healthcare system.

Operators of the My Health Record system

The Australian Digital Health Agency is the system operator of My Health Record.

An extensive range of resources on using and managing access to My Health Record, for both healthcare providers and healthcare recipients is available on the Australian Digital Health Agency's website.

Working closely together, the system operator and the Victorian Public Health Sector, will continue to raise consumer awareness, offer professional development for healthcare providers and assist front-line staff to understand and use My Health Record in their day-to-day work practices.

Who has a My Health Record?

Eligibility

Medicare or Department of Veterans Affairs card holders and those serving in the Australian Defence Force have had a My Health Record created unless they specifically asked for this not to be done (opt-out of the system).

As of February 2024, there are 5.92 million individuals with a My Health Record in Victoria and 23.8 million across Australia.

Children

Newborn babies will be issued with a My Health Record on Medicare registration.

Parents or guardians of children aged 0 to 13 years can read and manage information in their child's My Health Record by linking the record via the myGov portal.

When a child turns 14 years old, control of My Health Record automatically transfers to the teenage individual. Parents who previously had automatic access to their teenager’s record will no longer have access. If the teenager wants their parent to be able to access their record, they can create a www.my.gov.au account, activate the link to their My Health Record and invite their parent to be a “Nominated Representative” of that record.

Cancel My Health Record

My Health Record is consumer controlled and there is no obligation to have a My Health Record. A consumer can opt out of the program at any time. If a My Health Record exists and there is information in the record, a request to delete the record will result in the record, including any backups and audit information, being permanently deleted from the system.

Once deleted, information cannot be reinstated. If the consumer decides to request their My Health Record be created at a later date, the new My Health Record will only contain information from that point forward and will not contain any information from the previous record.

An authorised representative manages the My Health Record of someone who cannot manage their own. This could be for their child under 14 years or an adult with diminished capacity.

Where a sole authorised representative has been appointed to manage an individual's My Health Record, they can cancel the record.

What does this mean for Victorian health services?

My Health Record does not affect how core services are delivered by health services and does not change current workflows or applications used to support clinical decision-making (e.g., electronic medical records, paper drug charts, etc.). However, as the number and type of clinical documents uploaded to My Health Record increase, additional information available via My Health Record will enhance clinical decision-making.

The record will also give clinicians an opportunity to view information from other healthcare providers that is not available through current systems, i.e. shared health summaries created by general practitioners can be viewed by emergency department clinicians.

As knowledge and use of the My Health Record becomes more established, it is expected that there will be an increase in questions from consumers. Health services have existing policies and procedures for managing consumer queries which should be reviewed and updated to incorporate information about the My Health Record.

Benefits for clinicians

My Health Record will enable better care coordination between healthcare providers for people who are experiencing chronic and/or complex conditions. Summary documents uploaded by all treating healthcare providers give an overview of the timeline and treatment received by the healthcare recipient. Contact details for the author of each uploaded clinical document are included in the header information of that document, enabling direct contact if needed.

Having immediate access to information in My Health Record at point of care enables healthcare providers to focus on providing the best care possible (even in an emergency situation) using a combination of the presenting and prior history. This access allows time to be spent treating the healthcare recipient, rather than searching for important information.

My Health Record does not replace existing medical records held in healthcare providers’ local clinical information systems. More effective health management will be achieved at point of care (through supported and improved clinical decision-making) as additional clinical information is accessed via My Health Record.

Clinical documents uploaded by healthcare providers to My Health Record will include information derived from their clinical system. Information about diagnosis and medications (type, dose and frequency) will be clinically validated, eliminating dependence on the healthcare recipient being able to accurately remember and describe their medical history.

Benefits for healthcare recipients?

My Health Record supports healthcare recipients to be more actively involved and take greater ownership of their own healthcare. It is a single, convenient and accessible record that they control. The information contained in My Health Record supports conversations with healthcare providers and encourages an active partnership for optimal healthcare management by all involved.

What's happening in Victoria?

Victorian public health services are building capability to interact with My Health Record. All Victorian Public Health Sector hospitals are connected to the My Health Record. Most Victorian Public Sector residential aged care facilities and community health services are also connected to the My Health Record.

Many health services are contributing discharge summary information, diagnostic imaging and pathology reports to My Health Record, with ongoing efforts to upload additional documents..

The department will continue to engage, encourage and support Victorian public health services to use this important system.

Health services can upload documents including:

• discharge summaries
• prescription and dispense records
• pathology reports
• diagnostic imaging reports
• event summaries
• immunisations
• pharmacist shared medication list
• specialist letters.