The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia
(PSA) has announced the launch of new guidelines for pharmacists to promote meaningful
clinical use of the My Health Record system to enhance patient-centred care.
My Health Record is a digital system that enables healthcare
providers to share secure health data and improve the safety and quality of
patient care. The system enables important health information including
allergies, medical conditions, treatments, medicines, and scan reports to be
accessed through one system.
The benefits of using the My Health Record system include
reduced hospital admissions, reduced duplication of tests, better coordination
of care for people with chronic and complex conditions, and better and more
informed treatment decisions.
The new
guidelines will help increase the number of pharmacists using My Health
Record, offer professional guidelines for pharmacy practice as well as
implementation tools for digital health.
Australian Digital Health Agency CEO Tim Kelsey said the
guidelines were an essential support for pharmacists in the transition to
embedding My Health Record as a normal part of daily pharmacy practice.
“The ability for pharmacists to contribute patient health
information to My Health Record is an integral part of the My Health Record
system. In My Health Record, pharmacists have a platform to enhance the
provision of patient-centred care though access to key patient health
information and by contributing valuable information related to care they have
provided,” said Mr Kelsey.
PSA National President Dr Shane Jackson, who is the Chair of
the Project Advisory Group, also said that having access to information will
allow pharmacists to deliver more effective and efficient care.
Dr Jackson said that the guidelines will further enable the
digital capability of pharmacists is a game changer for pharmacists’
contribution to enhancing medication safety and ensuring quality use of
medicines.
“Pharmacists have a professional responsibility to review
their practice and where necessary, build on their digital health competency,
to integrate use of the My Health Record system into patient care.
PSA is the
Government-recognised peak national professional pharmacy organisation
representing Australia’s 30,000 pharmacists working in all sectors and across
all locations. The objective of the organisation is to improve the health of
Australians through excellence in pharmacist care. The organisation provides continuing
education and professional development as well as practice support.
Chair of the Project Working Group Queensland pharmacist Mr Chris
Campbell said the ease of access to information by using My Health Record was
going to make the biggest difference for pharmacists to providing care. The My
Health Record integration helps to make key clinical decisions possible.
“Until now, pharmacists have been dispensing, counselling,
providing advice, and conducting medication reconciliation partially
blindfolded,” Mr Campbell said.
As reported
earlier, there are more pathology
labs and pharmacies in Australia connecting to My Health Record. Late last
year, Primary Health Care, Australian
Clinical Labs, and 7 other
software vendors and labs signed agreements with the Australian Digital Health
Agency. Chemist Warehouse and Corum have also announced their upcoming
connection to My Health Record system in 2018.
These initiatives are
in support of Australian Government’s national rollout of opt-out model of My Health Record. All
Australians will be provided with a My Health Record by the end of 2018, unless
they choose not to have one.
