Top doctor doesn’t have online record

THE online My Health Record will save lives, doctors’ group boss Tony Bartone says — but he doesn’t have one.

The Australian Medical Association president is one of the strongest proponents of the online record everyone will have unless they opt out.

However, he said, though the scheme was launched six years ago, he does not have a My Health Record.

And he concedes he has difficulty using it in his practice.

“I don’t have a My Health Record because I haven’t had the time or opportunity, and there hasn’t been the inclination to use it until now,” Dr Bartone said.

He said he would automatically get one when the opt-out period ends in October.

Until recently, the GP didn’t use the My Health Record in his Victorian practice, because he couldn’t access it.

He had broadband prob- lems, and Victorian hospitals were not uploading results to it.

“I’m not selling it as the greatest thing since sliced bread,’’ he said.

“It makes largely no difference to the average patient in his or her consultation with their usual GP.”

Dr Bartone and the Government say the centralised record will help people on multiple medications, and suffering allergies and chronic illnesses, when they see someone other than their usual doctor.

Many doctors are highly critical of the system and fear it will undermine trust in doctors because the law allows police and the Australian Taxation Office to access the records without a warrant.

The AMA signed a contract with the government in 2017 agreeing to “encourage members to use the My Health Record …. building use of the system into daily practice” in return for a $910 million rise in Medicare rebates for doctors.

Major privacy concerns have been raised about the record, which will have an openaccess default until a PIN is entered to protect details. If it is not changed, a profile could be viewed by more than 650,000 health professionals, including podiatrists and physiotherapists.

The Opposition wants the opt-out period extended. Even government MPs are speaking out against the system.

Liberal MP from Melbourne Tim Wilson opted out of the scheme within days.

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare says it is difficult for clinicians to quickly identify new or updated information in a My Health Record.

“Difficulties in navigating and searching large volumes of clinical documents in any paper-based or electronic system can potentially impede appropriate decision-making and management and present clinical safety risks,” it said.