By the end of the year, private medical records of 17 million Australians will be uploaded to My Health online.
According to the Daily Mail, Australia's biggest reform of the My Health online health system is to upload private medical records of 17 million Australians to the system by the end of the year. Residents may opt out before Nov. 15. This measure will make it easier for doctors to diagnose patients more accurately.
It is reported that Australia will be the biggest reform of the My Health Record online health care system, by the end of the year, the private medical records of 17 million Australians will be uploaded to the system.
Through the new system, Australians will no longer need to contact their previous doctors each time they sign up for a new general practitioner. For doctors, this means that they have access to complete medical records with simple passwords, enabling them to prescribe drugs better.
While government believes the move has many benefits, there are fears that personal information will fall into the wrong hands, including information about victims of domestic violence falling into the hands of perpetrators.
Anti-domestic violence groups have called on the government to suspend the new system until serious privacy issues are resolved.
The groups worry that violent husbands or boyfriends can access the women's privacy files and track them.
A crisis advisory group from Sydney also said doctors could also help violent husbands or boyfriends gain illegal access to medical data.
(Gold Coast Domestic Violence Integrated Response), the Gold Coast family violence comprehensive response agency, also worries that these privacy records will be used in custody struggles. Or some people use these records to control women in more conservative communities with cultural and religious traditions.
Health minister Hunt (Greg Hunt) insists it will be the safest system in the world. This is also the first time residents can access their own medical records anytime, anywhere. More importantly, it prevents drug abuse.
Hunter also announced that illegal access to and abuse of the data will face tougher penalties, including a maximum fine of A $ three hundred and fifteen thousand and up to five years in prison. In addition, employers and insurance agency personnel will not be allowed access to this information.
In response to concerns from anti-domestic violence groups, Hunter responded that medical information held by (Australian Digital Health Agency), Australia's digital health agency, would be restricted "in the event that it could be life-threatening, health-related or safe."
More than 6.2 million Australians have My Health accounts and 13,999 doctors have access to the system, according to the Australian Digital Health Agency. However, more than 1.1 million Australians have opted out.