The federal government’s personally controlled electronic health record (PCEHR) scheme will be renamed ‘myHealth Record’ and doctors will trial an opt-out model, as part of a $485 million plan announced on Sunday. Health minister, Sussan Ley claimed the package ‘salvages Labor’s failed attempts to develop a national electronic medical records system.’ Less than 10 per cent of Australians are signed up to the PCEHR system, which is opt-in, with an independent review last year finding it was not a large enough sample to make it an effective national system or worth the time and effort for patients and doctors using it. Transforming the system from an ‘opt-in to an opt-out’ for patients was a key recommendation of this review. ‘Doctors have indicated they’re much more likely to use the system if all their patients have a record,” said Ley. “We also need full coverage if we are to cut down on inefficiencies created by not having one seamless records system, such as double-ups with testing, prescriptions, and other procedures.” Ley claimed that a fully functioning national e-health system could save taxpayers $2.5 billion per year within a decade by reducing inefficiencies, with an additional $1.6 billion in annual savings also delivered to the states. Ley said it was important that the government trialled the opt-out model to ensure public confidence in the system was maintained. “The real problem with the sluggish uptake of the current e-health system is not the concept, but the previous Labor government’s trademark rushing of the rollout without thinking it though properly,” she said. “It is important that all Australians are signed up to ensure we have a functioning system and trialling an opt-out model means we can do it carefully, methodically and ensure the appropriate protections are in place to give patients peace of mind.” Clinicians participating in opt-out trials would receive hands-on training and follow-up support to build their confidence and understanding in using the system. Meanwhile, the government will replace the National E-Health Transition Authority with the Australian Commission for eHealth from July 2016 in line with the recommendations of the independent review. The PCEHR operations and associated governance arrangements will be the responsibility of this new commission with e-health policy functions to remain within the Department of Health. Follow CIO Australia on Twitter and Like us on Facebook… Twitter: @CIO_Australia, Facebook: CIO Australia, or take part in the CIO conversation on LinkedIn: CIO Australia Follow Byron Connolly on Twitter:@ByronConnolly Related content interview Broadcom’s Andy Nallappan on what cloud success really looks like The CTO, CSO, and head of software engineering and operations knows firsthand that a successful move to the cloud is all about changing the culture and replacing on-prem’s sunk cost mentality with incentivized FinOps. By Martha Heller May 31, 2023 8 mins Technology Industry IT Strategy Cloud Computing feature How CIOs distill the most sought-after data skills From back-end engineers to data scientists and line-of-business experts, here’s the in-demand talent that all organizations need to turn a glut of information into game-changing insight. By Mark Samuels May 31, 2023 8 mins IT Skills Data Center IT Leadership case study How IT leaders use EV tech to fuel the transport revolution in Kenya Many African nations are starting to invest in electric vehicle (EV) transportation as a means to broaden access and help keep pace with global environmental initiatives. In Kenya, strides are being made despite industry and tech leaders grappling to By Vincent Matinde May 31, 2023 5 mins CIO CTO Emerging Technology feature I migliori 17 tool per gestire i costi del cloud Tenere sotto controllo i costi del vostro patrimonio cloud è, oggi, più importante che mai. Le piattaforme che descriviamo di seguito vi aiuteranno a verificare l’utilizzo del cloud e i suoi costi associati, che possono aumentare By Peter Wayner May 30, 2023 16 mins Cloud Management Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe