My Health Record
My Health Record is Australia’s national electronic health record that securely stores key health information. Healthcare providers and consumers can upload information to the My Health Record. This helps you track your personal health details and share it with your healthcare providers.
It is available on MyGov to all Australians with a Medicare card or a Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) card, and who have not opted-out. Consumers have control over their records, including who has access to certain information, and the ability to see when records have been accessed.
Information shared to My Health Record can include a person’s immunisation history, pathology and imaging reports, and discharge summaries.
The My Health Record is managed by the Australian Digital Health Agency. For more information about My Health Record including frequently asked questions and online learning visit Digital Health.
Relevant points to remember when using My Health Record as a healthcare professional:
- My Health Record may not be a complete reflection of every interaction a patient has with healthcare services.
- Information may be current at a particular point in time; My Health Record should be used to supplement additional sources of patient information.
- My Health Record is not a complete substitute for thorough clinician-to-clinician handover, but it can be a useful resource in supporting the transition of patient care to and from hospital.
My Health Record in acute care settings
My Health Record is used in acute care settings to support clinicians’ understanding of their patient and their interactions with the health system. Two projects have been undertaken in acute care settings, one in the Emergency Department while the other with learnings that could be applied across health service organisations.
Usability Guidance for Optimising My Health Record Viewing Platforms in Acute Care
We have collaborated with the Australian Digital Health Agency to develop advice on how to improve the user experience in My Health Record viewing platforms in acute care settings. The Usability Guidance for Optimising My Health Record Viewing Platforms in Acute Care (the Guide) offers practical recommendations for health services and software vendors to improve design and navigation.
User-friendly viewing platforms will encourage greater clinician use and enhance patient care, supporting clinicians working in time-critical environments to:
- access key patient information quickly
- support safer, more informed decisions
- improve workflow efficiency.
Background to the My Health Record in Emergency Departments project
The My Health Record in Emergency Departments: Final report and adoption model (2022) identified several areas for improvement related to usability, particularly with viewing platforms. Report findings from the four jurisdictional viewing platforms (NSW, QLD, VIC, WA) showed there was a replication of clinical documents, limited ‘search and find’ functions, unclear document titles, and cognitively burdensome navigation. These findings are consistent with other viewing platforms observed during this project.
Viewing platforms have been implemented to overcome the challenge of disparate clinical information systems. The viewing platform receives and shares clinical information across care settings and from the MHR. Most often the single point of access for hospital clinicians who wish to access the MHR within their hospital environment is the viewing platform. Improvement of clinical information sharing across health services, as well as private and community healthcare settings greatly benefits patient care. Increasing access and visibility of patient information supports better clinical decision-making and improved patient experience.