Personally controlled electronic health record

in 2012 the Australian government rolled out the eHealth record system. Your health record is the information that has built up over time from all the doctors visits and hospital admissions you have had.  At the moment, your healthcare information is stored in different locations – for example, some at a GP clinic, a pharmacy, a physiotherapist’s, or at the hospital. Some of the information is stored on computers, but they are not connected - so it is not easy to share information. With your permission, an eHealth record would start to pull together some of this information and over time create a record of your key health information that can be shared between all the health professionals involved in your care. A shared record will improve the care you receive if you need to seek medical help out of hours, or in an emergency or while on holiday in another state. It can include your prescription list, allergies, next of kin, previous surgery, current medical conditions etc.

eHealth records are personally controlled and it is up to you what information is included.  If you choose not to have one you will still have the same access to the health system as you currently do. For more information on how this will work, what information can be included, who can access your record and how to set up a record for you and your family check out the healthdirect website and the eHealth site.