One year since the PCEHR was unveiled subscriber numbers have been steadily increasing and hit 397,745 as at June 30.
Roberts, a Melbourne-based marketing executive, says she has no qualms sharing her medical information with doctors and backs the idea of an e-health record system.
"I think it's (e-health record) really good. I've moved a few times in the last couple of years and tend to go to different doctors.
"If they can see my whole history it would be a lot easier than for me to explain to them (each time)," Roberts says.
However, if her GP had recommended that she signed-up for the PCEHR she would have done so immediately.
"I haven't heard about it ... I would do it if my doctor had told me about it".
She was dumfounded that such a good concept hadn't been heavily publicised over the past 12 months.
"I'm on social media a lot and I haven't seen anything about it (PCEHR)," she says. Roberts now plans to sign up for an e-health record but would only do so "as long as it's easy".
Advertising is just one area that needs improvement and the government has embarked on an advertising blitz for the PCEHR, alongside Medicare Locals and the after-hours GP helpline dubbed Medicare for All.
Paul Naismith, chief executive at health software firm Fred IT Group says e-health incentives for GPs should be extended to pharmacies to boost uptake.
"There is no doubt in my mind that in the longer term the PCEHR will deliver real improvements in patient care. It has been a substantial and much-needed project, and a significant amount of the hard work has already been done.
"It has also been strengthened by the National Prescribing and Dispense Repository component we just delivered.
"We will see increasing momentum as more and more people opt-in, however, it does need to keep advancing and improving with user feedback," Naismith says.
He says that as momentum grows the PCEHR will show increasing clinical relevance, with improved safety and associated cost reductions in working in medication areas.
IT services firm Infosys believes Australians are ready to share their medical information with healthcare stakeholders, and that an all-in-one e-health smartphone app would be a boon for the PCEHR.
"Consumers are begging for digital and mobile health platforms," Infosys public sector general manager Allen Koehn.
Koehn says healthcare insurers have probably been the first to respond. "For example, with my NIB health insurance app, I can update my details, view my policy and submit a claim."
But there is huge opportunity to expand beyond insurance, he says.
"Imagine an all-in-one digital healthcare solution that gives you everything -- nutrition advice, fitness tracking, access to your e-health information, medical treatment plans, appointment management; now that could excite people about signing up for e-health.
"Our research shows Australians are open to sharing data -- but they must be able to see the value," Koehn says.
A survey of 1000 people commissioned by Infosys shows that more than 70 per cent of respondents would use mobile apps for managing their health.
More than 90 per cent of respondents believe doctors should have ready access to their medical information electronically during appointments.
Only 60 per cent of them said they were willing to share healthcare information online.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Fran Foo
Quelle/Source: The Australian, 03.06.2013
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