The Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) today announced that the My Health Record System will be upgraded over two days to improve usability for consumers and healthcare providers.

There will be three new features with the upgrade. Firstly, the upgrade will make it easier for people to find where to set access codes, add emergency contacts and nominate representatives. Next, consumers can also their own advanced care plans into My Health Record. A new functionality with the upgrade allows healthcare providers to generate and upload Advanced Care Planning and Goals of Care documents into My Health Record via their clinical information system.

A Goals of Care document contains a patient’s preferences for their end of life treatment and is agreed between the patient and their healthcare provider. It can only be completed and uploaded by the treating healthcare provider.

Lastly, the Medicines View changes will ensure any differences in naming conventions for the same medication are reflected as a single medicine line eliminating unnecessary duplication; and identify where changes in medicine form and/or strength have occurred.

THE LARGER TREND

Last September, the My Health Record was upgraded with enhanced clinical workflow capabilities, which will enable healthcare providers to more easily identify and group together relevant tests and results, HealthCareITNews reported.

Last month, AHDA said that they will be working with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) to launch the My Health Record Continuing Professional Development (CPD) modules for clinical radiologists and imaging practices. The Agency is working closely with other key healthcare provider groups such as clinical radiologists, to increase use of My Health Record so that both consumers and healthcare providers can view this important health information.

ON THE RECORD

“One of the main changes in the latest upgrade of My Health Record makes it much easier for people to control who sees and accesses their health information,” said Bettina McMahon, Interim CEO, ADHA in a statement.