About the changes
Better access
The Australian Government will be making it a requirement for all public and private pathology and diagnostic imaging providers to share their reports to My Health Record by default.
We are expecting that:
- providers should be sharing pathology and diagnostic imaging reports to My Health Record by 30 June 2024
- legal obligations to share pathology and diagnostic reports to My Health Record will be in place from December 2024.
These changes respond to recommendations made by the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce.
The Australian Digital Health Agency will help healthcare providers to meet the new requirements. Healthcare providers can find out more about My Health Record technical and registration support, education and training on the Australian Digital Health Agency website.
Faster access
Patients are waiting seven days before they can access most pathology and diagnostic imaging reports that have been shared to My Health Record.
The Australian Government will be removing this delay for all pathology and diagnostic imaging reports.
In 2024 we are expecting to remove this delay. More information on timeframes will be available after considering:
- advice by a clinical and consumer advisory group
- feedback as part of consultation activities.
There may be some circumstances where there will still be a delay, such as where there is evidence of clinical safety or other risks. We are establishing a clinical and consumer advisory group to help us consider this matter. You can also provide feedback as part of our consultation activities.
Why the changes are important
The changes aim to give patients and their healthcare providers better access to key health information, when it is needed, to help:
- empower patients to participate in their own healthcare
- make it easier for healthcare providers to coordinate care and access information
- support healthcare providers to make better clinical decisions that can:
- reduce avoidable adverse outcomes, hospital admissions and duplicate tests
- increase use of evidence-based appropriate treatments and interventions.
Who we work with
We will be working with the Australian Digital Health Agency and a clinical and consumer advisory group to make these changes.
More information on the advisory group will be available soon.
Have your say
We will be running consultation activities that will help us make these changes.
A survey is available until 31 October 2023 for you to complete on the consultation hub.
You can also subscribe to receive information about future engagement opportunities.
Find out more
You can subscribe to receive:
- updates about the changes to improve sharing of pathology and diagnostic imaging results to My Health Record
- information about future engagement opportunities.
You can find out more about My Health Record on the Australian Digital Health Agency website.