Older Australians

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Your personally controlled electronic health record: Helping you take control of your health

Retirement can be a busy time of life. You want to stay active and maintain the best possible health. If you need to visit the doctor, hospital or update medication, managing your health care should be as stress-free as possible.

This is why the Australian Government has developed an eHealth record system, to make it easier for you and your doctors to manage your health.

Why choose an eHealth record?

In the future, an eHealth record can make getting the right treatment faster, safer and easier.

• Sore convenient – Even if you are travelling, your eHealth record will always be accessible, so you will not need to repeat or remember your health details.
• Safer care – As more healthcare organisations connect to the system, the doctors and other healthcare professionals who are authorised will have access to key information, such as details of your allergies or previous bad reactions to treatment.
• Save time – Your eHealth record can help doctors and nurses save time double-checking your treatment history giving them more time to give you the best care.
• Emergency help –Healthcare organisations can temporarily access your eHealth record in an emergency to ensure you get the best care.
• Share the load – If you wish, you can nominate a trusted person, like a carer or family member, to view the information on your eHealth record. Your nominated trusted person can even fully manage your record on your behalf if you wish.
• It is your choice – Registering for an eHealth record is not compulsory, but if you do choose to register you will, over time, reap the benefits an eHealth record has to offer.

Take control of your health.

Register for an eHealth record today.

What will my eHealth record look like?

Information already available to have in your eHealth record includes Medicare data such as details of medications and medical checks for which a medical or pharmaceutical benefit was claimed.

Your eHealth record can also hold your wishes about organ and tissue donation, as well as details about the location and custodian of your advance care directive, if you have one.

Your doctors, nurses and other healthcare specialists will also be able to add clinical information to your eHealth record as their organisations connect to and participate in the eHealth record system.

Better medications management

The Prescription and Dispense View in the eHealth record system will make the prescribing and dispensing of medication a safer, more effective part of healthcare in Australia.

This view shows the name and date medications are prescribed (both the brand name as well as the generic name), the strength of the medication (e.g. 2mg, 20mg, etc), the direction for consumption (e.g. take one capsule daily) and the form of the medication (e.g. capsule, tablet, inhaler, etc). Similar information is also displayed as medications are dispensed.

This gives you better information about your medications than ever before, information that can also help your doctors and pharmacists make the best decisions about your care needs.

It will particularly benefit those Australians with high healthcare needs who use multiple medications – benefits which also extend to carers.
This view should not be wholly relied upon to be a complete record of prescribed and dispensed medicines.

What if I do not have a computer, or am not confident using the internet?

You do not need a computer or computer skills to have an eHealth record. You can apply for your own eHealth record in the following ways:

Online – visit ehealth website

Over the phone – call 1800 723 471 and selecting option 1

In person – visit a Medicare Service Centre

In writing – complete a registration application form, available from a Medicare Service Centre or from the eHealth website, and post it to:
Personally Controlled eHealth Record Program
GPO Box 9942, In your Capital City

Will my health information be secure?

The eHealth record system is protected by legislation. You will have a login and password to access your eHealth record, and control over which organisations can view your information.


“Having an eHealth record provides peace of mind, and lets you get on with living your life, while not having to remember every detail of medications or tests you have had.”
Noeline Brown, Ambassador for Ageing

To make Australia's health system work better for you, register for an eHealth record

To register for an eHealth record

or for more information visit ehealth website
or call the Helpline on: 1800 723 471

All information in this publication is correct as of May 2013. D0756 May 2013