June 5, 2013
People across the South Burnett, Darling Downs and South West Queensland are being encouraged to sign up for their own personally controlled electronic health record as part of Australia’s new eHealth network.
Darling Downs South West Queensland (DDSWQ) Medicare Local eHealth Program Manager, Manjeet Singh, said that there were many benefits to having a personally controlled electronic health record.
“Until now, health records have usually been stored in different locations and not easily accessible by patients or their healthcare providers,” he said.
“This new electronic system allows patients to grant permission to healthcare professionals of their choice to access their medical history, which is stored electronically in one central file.
“The biggest benefit it that the patient controls what information goes into it, who can access it and who can add to it.”
People who have a chronic disease, those over 55, mums with young babies, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are particularly encouraged to sign up.
“Quite often when you go to see different healthcare providers they ask you the same questions and you have to repeat yourself.
“Sometimes when you are travelling you may not have access to your medical information. If you are a parent and your child is sick, you may not be able to readily recall information about your child’s medical history if you are upset.
“And if you are chronically ill and rushed to hospital, you may not be able to immediately tell hospital staff about your condition.
“These are all excellent reasons why people should sign up for an eHealth record today.”
Manjeet said that people need not worry about privacy and security.
“You can set your own secure login and password, and see who has accessed your electronic health record, when it was accessed and what changes were made,” he said.
More information about how to sign up for a eHealth record can be obtained by phoning DDSWQ Medicare Local on 1300 808 606.
