Health Minister Greg Hunt defends My Health Record amid opt-out faults

The rollout of the electronic health record system has been plagued by delays, as Greg Hunt declares users need to be patient.

The rollout of Australia’s electronic health record system has been plagued by delays and technical faults, as Health Minister Greg Hunt declared Australians need to stick with the system.

The government today opened a three-month opt-out window for My Health Record — ending October 1 — for people who do not want a record created for them.

With My Health Record both patients and doctors can upload medical data including prescriptions, allergies and medical summaries, and the records can be viewed by law enforcement and third parties.

Today’s launch of the ‘opt-out’ process has suffered an array of problems, with some users reporting the procedure via telephone hotline took over an hour and a half.

Others reported that a file had already been created for them without their knowledge.

Meanwhile Health Minister Greg Hunt said the system had military-grade security and people should stick with it, despite concerns of possible cyber-security threats and privacy breaches.

“It is not just bank-level security but the advice from the Digital Health Agency is that it has been defence-tested,” Mr Hunt told reporters in Melbourne.

“They have a permanent cyber security network. It’s arguably the world’s leading and most secure medical information system at any national level.”

Lobby group Digital Rights Watch has expressed concerns about My Health Records’ security and is urging everyone to opt out.

I got through to opt out of the rotten #MyHealthRecord after 1 hr 40 mins. Took 6 minutes. Had to consent to my info being shared in order for opt out to go ahead. Was told I'd be directed to a survey before the phone went dead. #AusPol Govt + Tech = not a good mix.

— D. Robert Digman (@DRobertDigman) July 16, 2018

On hold with @MyHealthRec for over 1.5 HOURS to opt out without providing my drivers license/passport number. Turns out their entire backed system has crashed and they are telling support staff to just punch peoples details into the website. Confidence inspiring! #MyHealthRecord

— T0py (@InfoSecFriends) July 16, 2018

W? T?!?! F?!?!?!?!?!?!

Today is the first day one can opt out. Finally got onto the website to discover I already have a record. There is no way to delete this data. I have no idea what it even is. They will keep it and can share it without a warrant.#MyHealthRecord #auspol pic.twitter.com/IwPTq0azVo

— Dr James Farrow (@jmfarrow) July 16, 2018

“No guarantees have being given that individual citizen’s personal information will be kept safe and secure,” Digital Rights Watch chair Tim Singleton Norton said.

“Health information is incredibly attractive to scammers and criminal groups.

“There are also concerns of the current or future access being granted to private companies.”

The Digital Health Agency said patients could switch off their entire record and make it only available using a pin code, or use that process with individual documents.

When contacted by The Australian the agency said there had been “great interest” in My Health Record today, and that due to the anticipated higher call volumes, more staff “were on standby to respond to enquiries”.

They also stressed that consumers unable to opt out today could do so over the next three months through to October 15.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the system was an important reform because it would lead to better health outcomes.

“But I don’t blame people for being sceptical about this government in terms of the way it implements digital change programs,” Mr Shorten told reporters in Tasmania.

The National Rural Health Alliance said it would save lives in regional Australia, and urged people not to opt out.

AMA President Dr Tony Bartone said privacy of medical records was “absolutely paramount” and the medical profession and federal government took it seriously.

“This is actually going to save lives — if someone was unconscious in an emergency department on the other side of the country, and you’ve got a My Health Record, it can be viewed in an emergency situation, give important clinical details about medications you’re on or previous allergies or previous situations,” he said.

Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner Edward Santow said the privacy protections in place needed to be robust, and said the opt-out model wasn’t his preferred outcome.

“Generally speaking, with sensitive personal information it should be an opt-in (process),” he said.

Australians can opt out by visiting www.myhealthrecord.gov.au and opting out using the online portal; over the phone by calling 1800 723 471; or on paper by completing a form and returning it by mail.

With AAP