Digital Health is the electronic management of health information to deliver safer, more efficient and better quality healthcare. The Commonwealth’s digital health initiatives include My Health Record, Telehealth, Secure Messaging, electronic transfer of prescriptions and the Healthcare Identifiers Service.

For digital health information and support please contact the WNSW PHN Digital Health Team.

My Health Record 

My Health Record allows Australians to have a secure, online summary of their health information that can be viewed by treating healthcare providers including doctors, nurses and pharmacists across Australia.

My Health Records will not replace existing medical records. Healthcare professionals will continue to take and review clinical notes. The national My Health Record system provides an active online record that follows your patients as they move through Australia's health system, capturing important clinical and treatment information at different points in time. More information can be found at www.myhealthrecord.gov.au

Telehealth Services

Telehealth services use information and communications technologies to deliver health services and transmit health information. It encompasses diagnosis, treatment, preventive and curative aspects of healthcare services and typically involves patients, care providers or educators in the provision of these services.

Visit our resource page for further information and website links.

Electronic Prescriptions

Electronic prescriptions form part of the broader digital health and medicines safety framework. They enable the prescribing, dispensing and claiming of medicines, without the need for a paper prescription. Prescribers and patients can choose an electronic prescription as an alternative to a paper prescription. Paper prescriptions will still exist. 

Under the National Health Plan for COVID-19, the Australian Government has accelerated the delivery of electronic prescribing. From the end of September 2020, all Pharmacists and Prescribers should be in a position to start supporting electronic prescriptions. Click here for more information

An amendment has been made to the Health (Drugs and Poisons) Regulation 1996 (HDPR) to support the Commonwealth Government’s National Health (COVID-19 Supply of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Special Arrangement 2020. The amendment:

• enables a prescriber to send a digital image of a prescription to a dispenser
• gives a temporary exemption from the requirement to send paper copies of some prescriptions to dispensers
• recognises digital images of prescriptions sent and dispensed under the special arrangement since 26 March 2020 as complying with the HDPR.

To deliver electronic prescriptions, you need to ensure necessary upgrades to both pharmacy and prescriber software can be achieved quickly. Click the links below to access a one-page interactive checklist to help you transition your Pharmacy or Practice to become Electronic Prescriptions Ready.

Click for Pharmacists 

Click for Prescribers

To request further assistance in becoming electronic prescription ready, please contact the Digital Health Team.

Brenton Jones

Digital Health Support Officer

Phone: 0418 861 918

Email: brenton.jones@wnswphn.org.au

Australian Digital Health Agency webinars

The Australian Digital Health Agency provides training and events on digital health, My Health Record, electronic prescribing and more.

Healthcare providers can register for webinars to learn more about digital health tools and how to use them in practice.

View webinars

Check for upcoming Australian Digital Health Agency events on our events calendar.