I Really Feel Sorry For The Academics Who Made A Mistake And Were Jumped On By The ADHA.

This appeared a few days ago:

Why we removed an article on the My Health Record

December 13, 2017 5.07pm AEDT

Author

1. Sasha Petrova  Deputy Editor: Health + Medicine

The Conversation published a story earlier today that was incorrect.

The story, titled “We have less than three months to opt out before the My Health Record system has our details, and no-one told us”, asserted that a three-month period to opt out of being registered for a My Health Record had already begun.

This is incorrect. According to the Australian Digital Health Agency, which is responsible for the My Health Record, the date the period begins has not yet been set.

In a statement to The Conversation, the Agency said:

The opt out period will be set by a Notifiable Instrument which is anticipated to be around mid-2018 […] The Agency will implement a comprehensive communications strategy to advise Australians that a record will be created for them in 2018, unless they tell us they don’t want one.

We are committed to providing accurate and reliable information. Where errors do occur, it’s our policy to correct them promptly and be transparent about what happened.

We apologise for this mistake and greatly appreciate the Australian Digital Health Agency bringing the error to our attention.

Here is the link:

https://theconversation.com/why-we-removed-an-article-on-the-my-health-record-89087

The article wrongly claimed that the period to notify a desire to opt-out had begun – when indeed it will happen / begin some-time mid to late 2018.

Despite the ADHA claims, at this point it is not clear how all Australian citizens will be notified of the period available to opt-out of being given a myHR other than with some social media notifications and posters at various locations.

The offending paragraph was this:

“While the onus is on us to lodge an “approved form” to elect not to be registered, no such form is available. This is despite the fact that the time for opting out began on December 2, 2017.”  The rest of the article appeared sound but it has now been deleted.

The error was a misreading of the regulations I condemned a week or so ago as being incomprehensible. It seems even they were bamboozled by the obscure drafting and I am annoyed by it was not clearer - I am sure the mistake was not deliberate.

See here:

https://aushealthit.blogspot.com.au/2017/12/the-government-and-adha-are-treating-us.html

Understanding was improved when the Explanatory Memorandum became available:

See here:

https://aushealthit.blogspot.com.au/2017/12/explanatory-memorandum-for-mr-hunts.html

I would have preferred the article stayed available after a prominent correction was placed around the error as the rest was useful – but there you go – and I also would have much preferred the regulations were made much more human friendly!! I feel an apology and correction was all that was needed and would have cleared the air. The comments also were valuable.

There is no doubt that the ADHA is very nervous about misunderstanding of their announced plans and are active in seeking corrections – and well they should be - given the risk of the opt-out becoming political and causing great public consternation! (Witness the care.data program debacle led by Tim Kelsey in the UK.)

Frankly I think there is already enough public confusion and ignorance around opt-out to make the need for a major clear communication program with the public more than urgent!

David.