When the Federal Government unveiled its much-heralded My Health Record system a few years ago, it was eager to tout the benefits it could deliver to grey nomads as they travelled. However, while the concept of having all medical records immediately available online to doctors across the country sounded good, many travellers have found the reality hasn’t lived up to the hype … at least not yet. Indeed, anecdotal evidence suggests that huge numbers of medical practices still aren’t using the system, and it’s not just doctors in remote locations.
Like many grey nomads, Glynn and Linda Brown were determined their medical issues wouldn’t stop them travelling whenever they could. The fact that Linda has had a long fight against bowel cancer and liver cancer, and Glynn is still being treated for ureter and bladder cancers means they haven’t been able to get away as much as they would like … but they love it when they do. So, when Glynn’s oncologist told him in July that there would be a three-month break between treatments, the couple wasted no time in packing up their Bailey caravan and hitting the road.
“Because of our health problems, our GP arranged for us to sign some forms to allow our medical records to go online,” said Glynn. “The idea was that, no matter where we were in Australia, if we got sick we could receive medical treatment with the minimum of hassles.”
Glynn has a ‘slimport’ in his arm for chemo which has to be flushed and serviced every four to six weeks, so he brought with him a letter from his oncologist outlining his needs. At first all went well. The couple travelled up through New South Wales, into Central Queensland, across to the Northern Territory, and then down through South Australia. Despite a few hiccups over filling interstate prescriptions, Glynn was able to get his ‘slimport’ flushed at smaller hospitals. The national drive to digitise Australians’ health records has a way to go. However, things went downhill in Adelaide when Glynn saw blood and clots in his urine and was admitted to hospital.
“I told them that my medical records should be online,” said Glynn. “But I was informed to the effect that the scheme had never reached fruition … and that they couldn’t access my records online!”
Luckily Glynn’s condition wasn’t too serious and he was treated and discharged, although told to cut short his trip and head straight for home. Despite being requested to do so, the hospital never contacted Glynn’s GP to explain that he had been admitted to hospital and to explain his treatment.
“Surely in this day and age this is unacceptable,” said Glynn. “A universal way of communication between health practitioners should be the norm!”
While enthusiastic about the potential of My Health Records, the Vice President of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Tony Bartone, concedes there has been some ‘premature expectation’ around the system.
“This is an absolutely massive task with different software programs in different hospitals, and systems that don’t talk to each other,” he said. “It is a matter of infrastructure, connectivity, resourcing, training, and commitment.”
Five million people have now signed up to My Health Record, and Dr Bartone says that, as the system moves to an ‘opt out’ rather than an ‘opt in’ model, it will reach a critical mass and take off .
“It’s a big transition but real progress will have been made by the end of next year,” he said. “And by 2022 – if not well before – everybody in the health space should be able share data easily.”
However, Glynn and Linda Brown aren’t waiting around.
“I have to have some more treatment but we’re already thinking about another long trip, maybe up the Centre and down the west coast ,” said Glynn. “But this time we will carry comprehensive details of all our medications and medical records and avoid any more hassles.”
I wonder how many grey nomads know they can get a Reg 24 script from their Dr and have all meds needed prescribed before leaving home. My husband has a lot of meds and we had 14 Webster packs done before we left made travelling very easy
We used to use the Reg 24 option to get our medications until we were told by a pharmacist that doing so means that the medications (other than the first one in any Reg 24 supply) do not contribute to achieving the PBS safety net of zero cost prescriptions for medications supplied through the PBS scheme.
We have been through SA, NT, Q/L, NSW and Vic and have yet to discover a medical practice that uses the MyHealthRecord system – in one remote centre the nurse quipped that it would be nice to have a working computer before thinking about digitalising their medical records.
Something that the Health Service and GPs MUST get on line with to suport our ageing and mobile population. I take a letter from my doctor listing current medications and recent health history.
I’ve expressed an interest for my GP’s practice to have my medical history & details uploaded and put online.
I was told that they weren’t interested because it may make them exposed to liability issues.
Thanks for nothing!