My Health Record

Getting started with My Health Record

Whether a large, multi-clinic medical practice or a solo private provider, all general practices must have a My Health Record security and access policy in place if registered to participate in the My Health Record system.

Maintaining and promoting this policy is an important way of ensuring that the system is used safely and responsibly by staff. There are several useful resources to assist you with developing or maintaining your policy and meeting the ongoing participation obligations.

A key requirement of any healthcare organisation’s policy is to ensure that users of My Health Record receive training before being authorised to access the system.

The training should include how to use the system accurately and responsibly, legal obligations of the healthcare provider organisation and people who access the system on behalf of the organisation and the consequences of breaching those obligations.

Users need to understand when they can view or upload information to My Health Record as well as the appropriate and lawful use of the emergency access function.

The Australian Digital Health Agency has a recommended training list (PDF, 185.62 KB) that may support your organisation in meeting this requirement. More key resources about getting started with My Health Record are available below:

Viewing and uploading information

Conformant clinical software (such as Best Practice, Medical Director, etc...) allows health care providers to view and upload different key documents to individuals’ My Health Record as you update patient information. Contact your software provider to learn more how you can access the My Health Record system today.

Alternatively, the National Provider Portal (NPP) allows health care providers to access the system without needing specific clinical software as a read only function.

You can upload and view the following types of information and documents in My Health Record:

Uploads:

• Shared Health Summary which displays a snapshot of the individual’s health status at the time. This includes medical conditions, medications, allergies and adverse reactions, and immunisations. View an example of a Shared Health Summary.
• Event Summaries contain information about significant healthcare events that is relevant to the ongoing care of the patient.
• Discharge Summaries provide detail about the patient's hospital stay and aftercare recommendations.
• Prescription and dispensing records
• Pathology and Diagnostic imaging reports
  • Learn more about pathology
  • Learn more about Diagnostic Imaging
• Referrals including:
  • eReferrals will be sent directly to the intended recipient, as per current practices. A copy may also be sent to the patient's record.
  • Specialist letters used by a treating specialist to respond to a referrer, the letter may also be uploaded to the patient's record.

Views:

• Patient’s immunisation history including date, dose number, brand of administered vaccination and disease/indication as recorded on Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).
• Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA), Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), Repatriation Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits (RPBS) claims information.
• Australian organ donor registration status
• Medication related information, including allergies and adverse reactions, from documents held in a patient’s record.
• Pathology and Diagnostic imaging reports
• MyMedicare registration information

Privacy and Access

Access is provided in accordance with any access controls set by the patient or health care organisation.

My Health Record requires your organisation to have a security and access policy in place prior to implementation of My Health Record. A security and access policy template has been developed by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner in collaboration with the ADHA to assist you in developing a policy for your organisation.

You should read the National Authentication Service for Health (NASH) Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) common policies and terms and conditions prior to applying for an PKI.

Learn more about the My Health Record participation obligations through the Australian Digital Health Agency webpage

Data Breaches

You must notify the Australian Digital Health Agency of any potential or actual data breaches related to My Health Record. Learn more about how to manage data breaches.

Better and Faster Access to Health Information

As part of the Modernising My Health Record (Sharing by Default) Act 2025, the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has made changes to provide better and faster access to pathology and diagnostic imaging reports in My Health Record.

From October 2025, legislative changes require healthcare providers to share key health information to My Health Record by default, starting with pathology and diagnostic imaging providers. This requirement is expected to extend to other healthcare providers in the future.

Better Access - Sharing information to My Health Record by Default

Benefits for Providers

• Better informed decisions

Healthcare team members will have better access to the information they need to coordinate care across different providers and settings.

• Register and use conformant software

Steps for how healthcare provider organisations can implement My Health Record are outlined online and support is available:

Implementing My Health Record

Initially applies to pathology and diagnostic imaging reports

Legislation and rules will outline which health information needs to be shared to My Health Record by default, and by whom.

Impacted providers must share to My Health Record by default

Unless an exception applies or an extension of time to comply has been granted, providers must share by default from October 2025.

Benefits for Consumers

• Less duplication, greater efficiency

Individuals will not need to retell their health and wellbeing story to different healthcare providers and fewer duplicate tests will be required, as results will be accessible to all members of a person’s health care team.

• Supports Active Management of Health

Individuals can be empowered to access their key health information and be more active in their health and wellbeing journey.

• Improved safety and outcomes

Supports better and safer clinical decisions that can reduce avoidable adverse outcomes, hospital admissions and support safer care.

Faster Access - Immediate access to results

The seven-day delay has now been removed for most pathology tests, making reports available to individuals in their My Health Record as soon as they are uploaded. A five-day delay will still apply to some categories of results.

The below table outlines specific pathology and diagnostic imaging test/report types and their respective access delay.

Results discussion with healthcare providers

Results will still be sent directly to the referring GP or other healthcare provider. Despite this improved access to results, patients are still recommended to have results discussions with their treating practitioners to ensure understanding of the results and advice on ongoing health management.

For support and additional information

For digital health support please contact: help@digitalhealth.gov.au

Better and Faster Access to health information

The new my health phone app

‘my health’ is an Australian Digital Health Agency owned and managed app, developed to help consumers and their carers engage with and be proactive in managing their health. It gives consumers and their carers access to My Health Record on their mobile.

View the 'Introducing the my health app' video.

Users of the app can easily and securely access health information that has been uploaded to My Health Record. Information can include:

• medicine information history
• pathology results, including COVID-19 test results
• proof of vaccination history and upcoming immunisations
• allergy and reactions information
• hospital discharge summaries
• advance care planning documents.

Benefits for healthcare providers

• consumers and their carers can access their health information anywhere and anytime.
• using the app documents from My Health Record can be downloaded and shared from a mobile device.
• key information from My Health Record can be shared with healthcare providers not yet connected to My Health Record.

Learn more about my health app

Further Resources

• Step-by-step guides available for My Health Record education and training (ADHA)
• Access the Online Learning Portal (ADHA)
• My Health Record eLearning modules (ADHA)
• My Health Record webinars (ADHA)
• My Health Record (OAIC)
• My Health Record Statistics (ADHA)
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) (ADHA)
• My Health App Factsheet (ADHA)

Support

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