COTA Australia has been working with the Australian Digital Health Agency to support older Australian’s use of My Health Record. My Health Record provides a centralised record that you can see of your medical details, that have been uploaded by you, your health providers and/or Medicare. It is a valuable tool to ensure that your medical history is documented and stored in a place that is accessible by you and any nominated and authorised representative/s or medical professionals, to guide decisions regarding your health care. This is particularly important in scenarios where you may not be in the position to speak for yourself. It also saves having to repeat everything to different people.
We have been talking to the community and hearing experiences that some of you have had using My Health Record. Most of you agree this is a valuable service to document your medical history and provide an effective way of viewing your history in one place and at a time that is convenient for you. Through these conversations, there were common questions or discussion points that were raised. Below we ask these questions to the Australian Digital Health Agency and share their response, as we know that others would benefit from hearing the answers.
Who has access to the information on My Health Record?
Apart from you, the only people who can view or access your My Health Record are:
- Your healthcare providers (e.g. GPs, specialists or hospital staff)
- People you invite to help you manage your record (nominated representatives)
- People who manage your record for you if you are not able to (authorised representatives)
You can nominate a person to help manage your record. This person could be a family member, a friend or carer, importantly, they should be someone you trust. You can decide what level of access this nominated person can have to your record. Find out more about how to nominate a person and the different levels of access here – Nominated representatives | My Health Record.
Do I need to tell my healthcare provider to upload information to My Health Record?
It is not mandatory for healthcare providers to participate in the My Health Record system and this may explain why not all your information is currently listed in your My Health Record. However, most GPs, hospitals and an increasing number of pathology and diagnostic imaging providers are now connected, and the healthcare providers’ use of the system continues to grow. We encourage you to have a discussion with your GP and any other healthcare provider and request that they upload your medical records. The Australian Digital Health Agency continues to work across the health sector to encourage their participation so that your medical records are captured in the system.
Am I able to make notes on my record, such as recording questions that I have for my GP?
The only document you can upload to the system is your advance care planning document. You can however add information to personal health summaries (such as allergies and medications) and record your own personal health notes. These notes can act as a personal health diary for you, and if this would be helpful to you, this could be a place to record any questions you may have for your next medical appointment. However, these notes cannot be accessed by your healthcare providers. Depending on the access you give to your nominated person, they may be able to view these notes. Find out more about personal notes here – Personal health notes | My Health Record.
Am I able to upload historical information regarding my medical history?
When you first register to My Health Record, your medical history will not be automatically uploaded to the system. When you visit your GP next, have a chat to them about preparing a shared health summary and request that they upload this to your record. This health summary might include important health information such as allergies and adverse reactions, medicines information, medical history and immunisations.
What do I do if I see some incorrect information on My Health Record?
We encourage you to regularly check your My Health Record to ensure it is up to date and correct. If you do see some incorrect information, we recommend you contact the healthcare provider who has created and uploaded the document and ask that they correct the information. Alternatively, please contact the My Health Record helpline on 1800 723 471 (option 1), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You may be able to remove the incorrect detail, however this will depend on the type of information or document.
To find out more about My Health Record and some of the most frequently asked questions, go to Frequently asked questions | Australian Digital Health Agency. If you are still unable to find the answers to your questions, contact the Helpline on 1800 723 471.
