My Health Record is a secure online summary of an individual’s health information and is available to all Australians who hold a Medicare or DVA card. Health care providers, authorised by their health care organisation, can access My Health Record to view and add to their patients’ health information.
My Health Record does not replace existing health records. Rather, it supplements these with a high-value, shared source of patient information that can improve care planning and decision making.
Historically, healthcare providers were not required to upload health information to My Health Record. That is now changing. The Health Legislation Amendment (Modernising My Health Record—Sharing by Default) Act 2025 was passed into law in February 2025 and provides a framework for key health information to be shared to My Health Record by default.
Better Access
Pathology and diagnostic imaging providers will be the first healthcare providers required to share test results to My Health Record. These changes will ensure patients and their healthcare providers have better and faster access to key health information when and where it is needed. While the legislation has not yet come into force, it is already driving information sharing, for example, as at September 2025, around 4 million pathology and 400,000 diagnostic imaging reports are uploaded weekly to My Health Record, with more than 1.4 million weekly views by patients.
Faster Access
Until recently, pathology and diagnostic imaging reports in My Health Record were not available for patients to view until 7 days after they were uploaded. Since October 2025, most pathology reports that are uploaded to My Health Record are now available for patients to view as soon as they are uploaded.
There will be some exceptions for certain test categories (including anatomical pathology, cytopathology and genetic tests). For these tests, patients will be able to see their reports 5 days after they are uploaded to My Health Record.
A list of test categories that will be immediately available to patients is available on the Australian Digital Health Agency website. This list will be updated as more tests are released to patients at the time of uploading.
Watch this webinar on the key things health professionals need to know about My Health Record.
Information in My Health Record
My Health Record brings together health information from health care providers across the sector, allowing important patient information to be shared between them. This can include:
medications
allergies
diagnoses
hospital discharge summary
pathology and imaging.
Patients can also enter their own health information such as a personal health summary or an advance care directive.
For more information about what is in a My Health Record, click here.
Key benefits of using My Health Record
Healthcare provider benefits
Provides immediate access to key health information.
Facilitates the validation and verification of clinical information.
Avoids adverse medication events, provides access to allergy information.
Avoids duplication of tests and diagnostic imaging.
Provides immunisation details.
Provides continuity of care, informs end of life care.
Patient benefits
Prompt access to key health information in an emergency.
Secure, convenient access to health information.
Safer, faster more efficient care.
Less need to remember key aspects of their medical history and medications.
In 2023 the Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) released the my health app. This app lets patients and their healthcare providers view key health information in a fast, easy and secure solution in the palm of the hand.
The 1800Medicare app securely gives you access to My Health Record data as well finding and booking health services, symptom checkers and Medicare information
Get started with 1800Medicare app
Before accessing 1800Medicare app you will need:
a myGov account already linked to My Health Record and
to have accessed My Health Record at least once through a web browser
Download 1800Medicare app from your app store. Use the links below or search for "1800Medicare app gov" in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Open the app, select Get Started and follow the prompts.
Start exploring!
The 1800Medicare app is especially useful for healthcare providers without conformant software to access health information about their patients. The patients can share their data with these providers through the app.
The Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA), as the My Health Record system operator, has a layered security model with multiple security controls in place to protect the confidentiality, integrity and privacy of consumer health care information. Security controls include:
strong encryption
firewalls
secure login/authentication mechanisms
audit log
Individuals with a My Health Record provide standing consent for all healthcare providers who give direct care to them to view and upload clinical information to their record.
There are 3 healthcare identifiers that form the digital health foundations and ensure the right health information can be accessed for the right individual at the point of care. These identifiers are required for access to a My Health Record.
Where the service was provided: Healthcare Provider Identifier – Organisation (HPI-O)
Who provided the service: Healthcare Provider Identifier Individual (HPI-I)
Who received the service: Individual Healthcare Identifier (IHI)
Privacy controls
Individuals control which health care organisations can access the information in their My Health Record by enabling advanced privacy controls including:
Control access
Lock documents
Nominate representatives
Check activity.
Control access
Limit access to the entire record or to some documents using an access code. In an emergency, a provider can assert the emergency access functionality which will override the existing access controls for a specified period.
Lock documents
Restrict viewing of specific documents to selected providers.
Nominate representatives
Nominate people to manage the record on behalf of the individuals.
Check activity
Alerts can be set to receive an SMS or email when the record is opened or added to. Additionally, all activity in a record is saved in an audit log.
There are two ways through which authorised health care providers can access an individual’s record in the My Health Record system: either with your conformant software or the National Provider Portal. The way you access the system will determine the registration process.
Conformant software
Accessing the My Health Record system through conformant clinical software enables health care providers to upload, view and download information from an individual’s My Health Record.
If a health care provider does not have access to conformant software, they can view an individual’s My Health Record through the National Provider Portal. The health care provider will be able to view and download information from the individual’s My Health Record, but will not be able to upload any clinical information.
The Brisbane South PHN Digital Health team can provide in practice training and support. Please email [email protected] or phone 1300 467 265 for more information or to lock in an education session.
Queensland Health Provider Portal
In addition to the national My Health Record system, Queensland’s general practitioners have secure online access to their patients' Queensland Health records through the Health Provider Portal (known as the Viewer). This read-only, online access will allow GPs to view public hospital information including appointment records, radiology and laboratory results, treatment and discharge summaries, and demographic and medication details.
This access will bridge the information gap between Queensland’s GPs and public hospitals and help ensure patients receive consistent, timely and better coordinated care. All GPs need to register to access the Health Provider Portal here.
