The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is urging the Federal Government to overhaul My Health Record, citing its current lack of functionality for both patients and GPs. This call to action follows a nationwide survey revealing that 31% of GPs rarely or never use the system.
Early findings from the RACGP’s annual Health of the Nation survey align with a recent Productivity Commission report that criticised My Health Record for its incomplete records and poor usability. The report also highlighted that less than 2% of documents are viewed by GPs.
RACGP President Dr. Nicole Higgins emphasised the urgent need for improvements. “My Health Record can’t fulfill its potential to be the one-stop store for Australians’ health records without investment to improve its usability,” Dr Higgins said. “It’s a big job to improve our flagship national health data system, and we recognise that the Australian Government and the Australian Digital Health Agency are taking steps to this end. However, this work must continue to be prioritised because it will have significant benefits for Australians and our health system.”
Dr Higgins outlined the potential benefits of an improved My Health Record system, noting that better usability would lead to better patient care and overall health outcomes for Australians. Additionally, she pointed out the economic benefits: “It will also make our health system more efficient and generate significant savings for the health budget – the Productivity Commission estimated better use of electronic medical records systems can save up to $5.4 billion each year by reducing the time patients spend in hospital and $355 million in duplicated tests in public hospitals.”
She further stressed that the savings could be re-invested to reduce out-of-pocket costs for patients, especially given the current high cost of living. “The potential savings in general practice and other health settings would also be substantial,” Dr. Higgins added. “This money could then be re-invested back into reducing out-of-pocket costs for patients.”
The RACGP is calling for the Federal Government to prioritise the overhaul of My Health Record to enhance its usability for Australians, GPs and other healthcare professionals.
