The Australian healthcare system is set for a major overhaul in how patient information is accessed and shared, with the Australian Digital Health Agency launching Health Connect Australia, a nationwide initiative aimed at improving clinical efficiency and patient care through seamless digital communication.
Unveiled alongside a new Strategy, Architecture and Roadmap, the program will be rolled out in phases and is designed to address longstanding challenges in accessing health records across disconnected services.
Agency CEO Amanda Cattermole PSM said the initiative would modernise health data access and help unify an increasingly complex digital health landscape. “Our goal is to establish national capabilities and standards to facilitate health information sharing across existing and future systems,” Cattermole said.
“This initiative is not a singular product but rather a collection of capabilities designed to transform and better connect the healthcare ecosystem.”
Health Connect Australia builds on the existing My Health Record and other national services, but goes further by introducing shared national standards, infrastructure, and new tools to address issues such as duplicate tests, fragmented care, and data silos.
The Agency’s strategic priorities include:
- Timely access to secure and high-quality health information
- Greater consumer control over personal health records
- Strengthened digital health infrastructure
- National and international data standards and privacy safeguards
Dr Amandeep Hansra, Chief Clinical Adviser (Medicine) at the Agency, said the frustration among patients and providers with disconnected systems was driving the need for reform.
“The frustration for consumers having to constantly retell their story and clinicians trying to find information such as pathology and diagnostic imaging results, is real,” Dr Hansra said.
“Health Connect Australia will ensure that a person’s health information moves with them through the system, enabling seamless care.”
The rollout will take place in four phases:
- Foundations Phase – Establishing a national provider directory
- Sharing Phase – Enabling secure information exchange and improving access for consumers
- Discovery Phase – Introducing tools to locate and retrieve health data across systems
- Enhancement Phase – Adding services such as digital baby books and wearable device data integration
Chief Digital Officer Peter O’Halloran said long-term success hinges on greater use of open standards across the health sector.
“New and updated digital health standards are essential to enable health information to be accurately generated, shared and interpreted across systems,” Mr O’Halloran said.
“Efforts are also underway to develop robust legislative and policy settings to support the seamless exchange of health information across jurisdictions.”
The Agency says the initiative will not only reduce administrative burden and clinical risk, but also empower Australians with greater visibility and control over their own healthcare journey.
Ritchelle is a Content Producer for Healthcare Channel, Australia’s premier resource of information for healthcare.
