My Health Record (MHR) Policy

Applicable to: All Health Service Providers

Description: The purpose of the My Health Record (MHR) Policy is to set standards for Health Service Providers regarding the appropriate use of the MHR.

The MHR was established in 2012 under federal legislation; the My Health Record Act 2012 (Cth). The MHR is a secure online summary of a patient’s health information drawn from existing clinical systems in the public, private and community health sectors.

Patients can control what goes into their MHR and which healthcare providers have access to the information. The MHR is NOT a complete electronic health record, but provides a potential source of additional information about a patient’s healthcare. The MHR aims to empower the patient with information about their own healthcare and provide clinicians with increased information about the care their patients may have received in other settings.

This Policy is a mandatory requirement under the Information and Communications Technology Policy Framework pursuant to section 26(2)(a), (d) and (k) of the Health Services Act 2016.

This Policy supersedes OD 0463/13 Patient Controlled Electronic Health Record System Policy.

Date of effect: 18 October 2018

Policy Framework