Dentists have sunk their teeth into the slow and frustrated progress of Australia’s attempt to build a national eHealth system, telling the federal government the scheme needs to be switched to an ‘opt-out’ model and have a name change if participation is to increase.

A bulletin issued by the Australian Dental Association following consultations with the peak body over the future of the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record (PCEHR) says rather than calling the electronic document a “health record” it should be called a “health summary” to avoid mix-ups.

“The term ‘Record’ risks being confusing for health practitioners and patients alike, the bulletin said.

“It is a summary and not a complete record and so the title “My Health Summary” is more appropriate.”

Dentists also want more done to let people know about the benefits of eHealth which hasn’t exactly been an easy sell to date. The oral health industry also wants a bite of any new funding that may flow.

“The Australian Government must provide adequate resources and incentives for all users including health practitioners (not just medical GPs) to be able to explain the benefits of this to patients and to allay concerns about privacy,” the ADA said.

“Such work must be alongside a national information and educational campaign conducted by the Australian Government.”

Other recommendations to the government include better support for “tertiary education and training institutions” to teach graduating health practitioners how to use the eHealth system so they can use it immediately upon entering the workforce.

Similarly, dentists also want the government to “roll out other features such as ePrescriptions” and to use “Primary Health Networks” to “provide face to face training for health practitioners on how to use the MyHR and other aspects of eHealth.”
Oral-Health, Australian-Dental-Association, PCEHR, AMA, Australian-Medical-Association, eHealth, NeHTA, Gonski, Peter-Dutton

Dentists want opt-out eHealth record

Review of PCEHR drilled over functionality, training

Dentists have sunk their teeth into the slow and frustrated progress of Australia’s attempt to build a national eHealth system, telling the federal government the scheme needs to be switched to an ‘opt-out’ model and have a name change if participation is to increase.

A bulletin issued by the Australian Dental Association following consultations with the peak body over the future of the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record (PCEHR) says rather than calling the electronic document a “health record” it should be called a “health summary” to avoid mix-ups.

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f48e3ab7541bf55cdb52793b6/files/ndu_october_2014.pdf

“The term ‘Record’ risks being confusing for health practitioners and patients alike, the bulletin said.

“It is a summary and not a complete record and so the title “My Health Summary” is more appropriate.”

Dentists also want more done to let people know about the benefits of eHealth which hasn’t exactly been an easy sell to date. The oral health industry also wants a bite of any new funding that may flow.

“The Australian Government must provide adequate resources and incentives for all users including health practitioners (not just medical GPs) to be able to explain the benefits of this to patients and to allay concerns about privacy,” the ADA said.

“Such work must be alongside a national information and educational campaign conducted by the Australian Government.”

Other recommendations to the government include better support for “tertiary education and training institutions” to teach graduating health practitioners how to use the eHealth system so they can use it immediately upon entering the workforce.

Similarly, dentists also want the government to “roll out other features such as ePrescriptions” and to use “Primary Health Networks” to “provide face to face training for health practitioners on how to use the MyHR and other aspects of eHealth.”