eHealth

Women with breast cancer will often see many different health professionals during their breast cancer treatment, and often tell us that it can be challenging to keep track of medical records and health information. Many rural women also tell us how frustrating it can be to travel long distances for medical appointments only to find that records have not been transferred.

BCNA supports the introduction of ‘eHealth’, an Australian Government initiative which will allow people who register to access their own health information electronically, from 1 July 2012.

The main component of eHealth is the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record (PCEHR) which is an electronic record of your health information, and will be controlled by you. By logging into a secure website, you will be able to manage your personal record and choose the information you would like to share, and the health professionals with whom you would like to share it. You will also be able to add your own notes about your health to your record.

Some examples of your health information that can be stored through your own personal PCEHR include:

  • Prescriptions
  • Referrals
  • Your allergies
  • Test results
  • Digital copies of x-rays and other scans

The eHealth concept is similar to that behind the paper-based Personal Record contained in BCNA's My Journey Kit. The Personal Record was developed to help women to keep their health information in one location. Rather than being paper-based, eHealth allows your information to be stored electronically, to ensure you can access it at the right place, and the right time.

BCNA believes that women should feel confident about the management and protection of their personal health information. In developing the eHealth system, the Government has put in place security measures to protect your information and privacy.

As a consumer organisation, BCNA has kept up to date with the eHealth project and contributed towards its development with the appointment of BCNA Consumer Representative to eHealth committees and workshops. BCNA has also made a number of submissions on eHealth (see the More Information section of this page).

How is eHealth different to the current system?

Most health records are currently paper based, and the ones that are electronic often cannot be shared with other health professionals or accessed by you.

This often means that:

  • You have to try and remember important pieces of your health information to share with health professionals, for example, your most recent test results.
  • When visiting a new doctor, you need to call ahead and request that your medical records be sent to them.
  • You have to carry pharmacy prescriptions with you, which may become lost.

The new eHealth system means that, with your permission, all this information will be available online in one location.

What are the benefits of eHealth?

Having your health information in one secure electronic location will mean that:

  • It won’t matter where you are when you need to see a doctor. Your health information will be available electronically, and you won’t need to call ahead and request that your medical records be sent to them.
  • Your doctor will be able to write an electronic prescription which the pharmacist of your choice will be able to access electronically.
  • You will not need to remember all of your key medical information, as you will be able to access it electronically whenever you like.

How do I sign up?

Whether or not you make your health information available through eHealth is up to you – it will only be available if you register to use the system. Registrations open on 1 July 2012, and we will update this webpage with information about how to register in the coming months.

More information

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