What is My Health Record?

My Health Record is a secure online summary of your health information. You can control what goes into it and who is allowed to access it. You can choose to share your health information with your doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers.

My Health Record was previously called the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record or PCEHR.

By the end of 2018, every Australian will have a My Health Record, unless they choose not to have one.

If you don’t want a My Health Record, you must register your choice between 16 July and 15 October 2018 during the opt-out period. It is not possible to opt out of having a record before the opt-out period starts. To opt out or for more information, go to the My Health Record website.

Benefits of having a My Health Record

Access

Doctors, hospitals, physiotherapists, nurses and others can see your health information if you authorise them. It can be seen securely online anywhere, anytime, including if you travel or move interstate. You can access your health information if you have an internet connection.

Safety

In a medical emergency, seeing your health information can help healthcare providers quickly provide the best possible care. Information about allergies, adverse reactions and medical conditions helps healthcare providers give you better advice and treatment.

Convenience

You don't have to remember your health history, including medicines, conditions and tests, with different healthcare providers. The same applies to your children's health, with My Health Record recording immunisations and medical tests if you wish.

Security

You can control who sees what information. There are strict regulations about who can see or use your My Health Record. This protects your health information from misuse or loss.

What is included in your My Health Record?

Your My Health Record can include:

• a record written by your doctor
• medicines prescribed for you
• specialist and referral documents
• allergies and adverse reactions
• immunisations
• diagnostic imaging reports (like ultrasound or X-ray results)
• pathology reports (like blood tests)
• hospital discharge information
• your Medicare claims history
• your Indigenous, veteran and Australian defence force status
• your decision about organ donation
• your wishes about your health care if you become too unwell to communicate (sometimes called a “living will” or “advanced care planning” documents)
• contact numbers and emergency contact details.
• other personal health notes – you or a nominated representative can enter notes to keep track of your own health, like a health diary. Health care providers can’t see these notes

Your My Health Record doesn't replace any of your existing health records. Your doctors will still keep their own notes.

You can hide or un-hide documents and information stored on your My Health Record. Once hidden, information will not be accessible to others, even in an emergency.

The Child Development section of your child's My Health Record is similar to the paper-based Baby Book. It has information about early health, growth and development, such as:

• personal measurements
• immunisations and health checks
• questionnaires about growth and development
• parental observations
• information for parents
• health check questionnaires (for NSW and Tasmania)
• emergency contact information

How to register for My Health Record

By the end of 2018, every Australian will have a My Health Record, unless they choose not to have one during the three-month opt-out period. You can register for an email service with My Health Record to find out when that opt-out period begins. Register on the My Health Record home page (scroll down to 'A My Health Record for every Australian in 2018').

You can register for a My Health Record before then in a number of ways:

• online via the My Health Record website - you will need to create a MyGov account or login to your existing account to register for My Health Record
• by phone, call 1800 723 471 - option 1
• in-person at a Medicare service centre
• by completing a registration application form, available from a Medicare service centre or from the My Health Record website and posting it to GPO Box 9942 in your capital city
• by asking your healthcare provider to help you

If you are registering a child, you must have parental responsibility for them and the child must be listed on your Medicare card. If this is not the case, you will need to apply in writing.

You can register a child who is not on your Medicare card:

• in person at a Medicare Service Centre
• when completing the Newborn Child Claim form - provided to all new parents
• by asking your healthcare provider to help you

People in Nepean Blue Mountains and northern Queensland had My Health Records automatically created for them as part of trials of My Health Record. These residents can now cancel their My Health Record if they want to (see below).

How can I see, manage and cancel My Health Record?

You can access your My Health Record with an internet browser and your myGov username and password. These are created when you register for myGov online. If you don't have a myGov account, you will need to create one to see and use your My Health Record online.

If you don't have internet access, you can call the My Health Record helpline on 1800 723 471 to access your information. Helpline staff can tell you which documents are in your My Health Record but not what each document contains.

The Childhood Development section of your child's My Health Record can also be accessed through the ‘My Child's eHealth record' mobile app. The app is available from the Apple App Store and Google Play. Before you can use the mobile app, you must have registered your child (and yourself) for a My Health Record.

Other apps are authorised to connect with My Health Record. You can see these here.

You can cancel your My Health Record:

• online at My Health Record website
• by calling the My Health Record helpline on 1800 723 471
• by visiting a Medicare service centre

More information and help

You can get more information:

• online at My Health Record website
• by calling the My Health Record helpline on 1800 723 471