The National Digital Health Strategy Vision is “Better health for all Australians enabled by seamless, safe, secure digital health services and technologies that provide a range of innovative, easy to use tools for both patients and providers.”
This is great news for carers because a lot of health information for yourself and the person you care for can now be accessed digitally (online) easily and securely.
A good place to start is to create a ‘digital identity’. A digital identity is a safe and secure way to prove who you are online every time you access government services. Your ‘digital identity’ is created by myGovID. They verify your identity using key information from documents like your passport, Medicare card or driver's licence. When verifying your identity, your details are checked against existing government records to prove your identity. It is like when you provide information for getting a new licence or other government service.
To set up a ‘digital identity’ visit myGovID.
There are many platforms through which you can access services and information digitally. Including Telehealth, myGov and Electronic Prescriptions.
myGov is a federal government website that can be accessed using a computer or downloading the official myGov app (Apple App Store or Android Play Store) on a smartphone.
Some of the services you can link to and use via your myGov account include:
To find out more, create a myGov account or link services visit:
My Health Record is a safe and secure place to keep your key health information and is available to you and your healthcare providers whenever it’s needed, including in an emergency. It includes key health information like immunisations, pathology and diagnostic imaging reports, prescription and dispensing information, hospital discharge summaries and more, all in one place.
The benefits of creating a My Health Record include:
Most Australians have a My Health Record. Information to set up My Health Record can be found here. To access your My Health Record, you need to have a myGov account.
If you don’t already have a My Health Record, you can register for one at any time. This includes if you have previously opted out or cancelled your record. You can register for a My Health Record through myGov or by completing an application form.
For more information on My Health Record as a carer is available here.
Your medicines can be prescribed using an electronic prescription. An electronic prescription is a digital version of your paper prescription which is given to you by the doctor via an SMS or email. As a carer, the person you are caring for can forward the message to you so that you can collect the medicine. They can also nominate to have the electronic prescription sent straight to you from their healthcare provider.
Once the electronic prescription is received, you can show your pharmacist on your device or you can send it to them. If you have repeats, a new SMS or email will be sent to you. The Australian Digital Health Agency has recorded a helpful podcast episode on Electronic Prescriptions here.
Through electronic prescriptions, a person can also have an Active Script List set up with their pharmacist to help manage multiple medications.
To find out more about electronic prescriptions talk to your doctor or pharmacist, visit the Australian Digital Health Agency.
Telehealth is when a patient uses a phone or a video call to consult with a health professional. This may include a GP, specialist, nurse practitioner, Aboriginal Health Worker or an allied health service.
It’s not intended to replace essential visits to the doctor or health professional, but rather be a convenient solution for when you or the person you care for can’t see a doctor ‘face to face’.
In many cases, a person will be able to access telehealth with the support of Medicare, however patients need to have an existing clinical relationship with their GP telehealth provider to meet eligibility requirements.
It is important to keep in mind that Telehealth has changed throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, and you should check you are able to continue to access this service with your chosen service provider.
To find out more about telehealth services visit:
We get it! Accessing information and services digitally can be overwhelming if you are not currently as “technology savvy” as you would like to be. There are initiatives and facilities that can help you improve your digital literacy so you can confidently and safely access health services for you and the person you care for.
