Quote Of The Year

Timeless Quotes - Sadly The Late Paul Shetler - "Its not Your Health Record it's a Government Record Of Your Health Information"

or

H. L. Mencken - "For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong."

Sunday, May 20, 2018

Here Is What Doctors Are Being Told About Opt-Out And The myHR.

I had this e-mail from the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency during the week. It is worth sharing.
----- Begin Email.
Logos AHPRA, ADHA and myHR
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) is sending you this important information on behalf of the Australian Digital Health Agency (the Agency). The information in this email belongs to the Agency, which is responsible for it.
Dear David More,
This year, every Australian will get a My Health Record unless they tell us they don't want one
Based on independent research, individuals have told us that the most acceptable channel to receive information about the My Health Record is via their healthcare providers. We therefore expect your patients and clients may come to you for advice about what a My Health Record means for them.
This communication aims to support you and provide you with information and resources you can use to answer your patients' enquiries about My Health Record.
What is My Health Record?
My Health Record is a secure online summary of key health information such as medical history, medicines, allergies and adverse reactions, immunisations, hospital discharge summaries and reports from tests and scans.
For your patients and clients it means their important health information is kept together in one place that is accessible anytime by their authorised healthcare providers, including in a medical emergency.
Who gets a record?
Currently, more than one in five Australians have a My Health Record. Later this year, the program will be expanded to an 'opt-out' participation model, whereby every individual with a Medicare or Department of Veterans' Affairs card will get a My Health Record unless they tell us they don't want one.
A three month opt-out period will be held from 16 July to 15 October 2018. During this period, those individuals who do not want to have a My Health Record can opt out by:
 What will My Health Record mean for my practice and my profession?
As more people use My Health Record and information in the system grows, it will help support clinical decision-making, decrease your search time for relevant information and improve continuity of care.
Clinical leadership is essential in the transformation of healthcare. Australia has a momentous opportunity to create the digital health infrastructure that will produce benefits long into the future.
How do I find out more?
In the coming months you will hear more about the My Health Record expansion. In the meantime, go to www.myhealthrecord.gov.au to find out more, including:
2018 is the year that we will all be able to join the 'digital health' movement and play our role in supporting all Australians through better access to information.
With best wishes,
Dr Monica Trujillo
MBBS (COL) MPH FRACMA FACHI
Chief Clinical Information Officer
Australian Digital Health Agency
Why am I receiving this information?
This letter has been sent to you by AHPRA on behalf of the Agency. AHPRA has not provided your email address or other personal information to the Agency for the purposes of this mail out.
---- End Email.
All I can say is what a lot of deceptive tripe.
Compared  with the systems most GP’s use, the myHR is at the horse and buggy stage in terms of usability, search-ability, completeness, currency, reliability, privacy etc.
More than that there is very little evidence to support the contention that the system will improve continuity of care or provide significant benefits.
The reason it is being made opt-out is that when it was opt-in (since 2012) not many cared for or used it and they (the Guvmint) were worried about the billions of dollars of sunk cost for so little benefit. Even to this day most avoid all the extra effort if they can
I would rely on my own electronic records vs. the myHR any day and I think that is what most will do! It will be a rare day the myHR provides anything additional and useful for most I believe. It provides little information that can’t be more easily found with a phone call!
David.

6 comments:

Bernard Robertson-Dunn said...

Strange, they say
"How do I find out more?
In the coming months you will hear more about the My Health Record expansion. In the meantime, go to www.myhealthrecord.gov.au to find out more, including:

* the benefits of My Health Record
* how to register
* training and resources
* how to upload and view information
* supporting your patients"

Where do you go to find out about the costs and risks?

They should also tell people to look at the disclaimer:

https://www.myhealthrecord.gov.au/disclaimer

"... the Australia Digital Health Agency does not guarantee, and accepts no legal liability whatsoever arising from or connected to, the accuracy, reliability, currency or completeness of any material contained on this website or on any linked site.

The Australian Digital Health Agency recommends that users exercise their own skill and care with respect to their use of this website and that users carefully evaluate the accuracy, currency, completeness and relevance of the material on the website for their purposes."

myhealthrecord.gov.au is being touted as the primary source of information on the system, but the site itself says the government does not guarantee its accuracy or reliability.

Anonymous said...

Well, this is meaningless now, as outlined by one of your readers in the previous post, the CEO has clearly demonstrated there are things to hide and this may not be all that they say it is. The Clinical leads under the PCEHR caught on and walked out. I wonder if this current batch will? I think I will be making an appointment with my local GP to discuss exactly what they are getting themselves into

Anonymous said...

Based on independent researcH

I think what they mean is - through careful screening of data and avoidance of differing opinions we have managed to collective enough to justify what we are after, through this process we have provided everyone their opinion and interestingly it is the same as ours.

PS every Australian will get one regardless if they want one.

Anonymous said...

I registered an email address through the opt out link on the HR system website. I understand the process for opt out has not yet begun but should you at least get an acknowledgement email? It has been several days and I have no idea if my request has been captured and confirmed I am on some list to be informed as more information becomes avalaible?

This has me a little concerned.

Anonymous said...

8:07am. I have the same experience. I tried several times over the past few weeks but no response. Not sure why this would be the case or if it is the same for all you engage with the process.

Dr David G More MB PhD said...

What about calling the helpline and seeing what they say?

Number is in blog...

David.