Media Releases and Communiques
Health Ministers give green light to National Health Information Network
The report of the National Electronic Health Records Taskforce was presented to the Australian Health Ministers' Conference in Wellington, outlining options for a way forward to establish a national health information network.
31 July 2000
Health Ministers give green light to National Health Information Network
HealthConnect, a national health information network, was given the go-ahead today by all Australian Health Ministers.The report of the National Electronic Health Records Taskforce was presented to the Australian Health Ministers' Conference in Wellington, outlining options for a way forward to establish a national health information network.
Speaking at the conference, Federal Health Minister, Dr Michael Wooldridge, said HealthConnect offered health consumers and health practitioners alike an enormous opportunity to improve health care in Australia.
"This is an exciting time in the development of Australia's health care. The information age is yielding technologies that we would never have dreamed possible three decades ago.
"If we are going to harness the potential of information technology in improving the safety and quality of care in our health sector, we must act now - and today's recommendations by the National Electronic Health Records Taskforce will see that potential realised."
The network will provide for the creation and storage of electronic health records as well as other health information. Access to this information will be only available to authorised users and participation will be voluntary.
"Most importantly, the privacy and security of people's personal health information is paramount in the development and implementation of HealthConnect. Without the necessary safeguards in place, the network will not operate," Dr Wooldridge said.
Ministers agreed to protect people's privacy through the following provisions:
- individuals must freely agree to participate in the network in the first place and on a continuing basis;
- an individual's information must only be used in a health care context;
- people must have access to their own information and must be able to control who can see their information;
- a stringent security framework must be in place wherever health information is collected, stored or exchanged, including audit trails and review mechanisms built into the network to track who has accessed information; and
- provisions must be in place to ensure, among other things, penalties for people who misuse the information.
State and Territory Health Ministers welcomed the recommendations of the report, which also emphasised the need for a national approach to electronic health records.
"A national approach to electronic health records is the way ahead for Australia to reap the enormous advantages information technology has to offer. We look forward to working together to ensure that HealthConnect works to the benefit of all Australians," said South Australian Human Services Minister and conference chair, Dean Brown.
"While the privacy issues will need to be managed carefully, we believe that the proposed network will empower consumers and bring about better health care for the whole community."
Media Contact: Serena Williams, Dr Wooldridge's office, 0411 261 627
Virginia Dove, Department of Health and Aged Care, 0411 255 229
Peter Gandolfi, Mr Brown's office, 0418 851 033
