The MHR is a digital summary of a patient’s medical record that can be shared securely online between the patient and the healthcare providers that they visit. It includes a list of the patient’s medications, their medical diagnoses, allergies, organ donor status and their vaccinations. It will soon contain pathology and radiology results as well.
Australians have a three-month window from 16 July to 15 October 2018 during which to opt-out if they do not want a MHR to be created. For those who do not opt-out, a MHR will be available from 15 November 2018. The MHR will not contain any content until either the patient logs in or a healthcare provider accesses the record. Upon access, two years of Medicare and PBS (prescription) records will automatically be added to the record.
The MHR allows GPs, hospital staff and other health professionals to access the record of patients who present, which may help avoid medication mix ups, improve patient outcomes, avoid duplication of services, and ultimately improve patient outcomes. The MHR may enable patients better self-management through access to key health information to support improved decision making and continuity of care.
Patients can add information to their record themselves and can stipulate that certain clinical documents are not uploaded to their MHR.
What do you need to do?
If you are happy to have a MHR automatically created by the Government, you don’t need to do anything. Likewise, if you have already created a MHR, this will continue without you doing anything.
If you do not want the Government to create a MHR on your behalf, you need to opt-out between 16 July and 15 October 2018, by telephoning 1800 723 471 or visiting the MHR website at https://www.myhealthrecord.gov.au
