Patients set to benefit from e-health record

Medicines Australia chief executive Dr Brendan Shaw today congratulated the Government on its determination to introduce secure electronic health records for Australian patients.

Responding to an announcement by the Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon MP that the e-health rollout will begin mid-2010, Dr Shaw said the move to electronic records would ensure patients had access to more timely and better informed medical treatment.

“The Government is to be commended for pursuing an e-health agenda with such focus and determination,” Dr Shaw said.

“An electronic health record will help ensure doctors’ prescribing decisions are fully informed by appropriate patient health data. That is critical from a Quality Use of Medicines perspective. It has the potential to deliver an enormous benefit to patients

“A national e-health record will also provide an important opportunity to deliver a significant competitive advantage to Australia’s extensive clinical trial capability.

“There is a real opportunity to ensure an e-health record system provides remote access to the medical records of trial participants in Australia where the appropriate consent has been given.

“Implementation of an electronic health record is something Medicines Australia has argued for vigorously for some time and I am delighted that the Government continues to drive this important initiative forward.

“Medicines Australia stands ready to work with Federal and State and Governments during the consultation period as we head towards full implementation.”

–ENDS–

Contact Person:

Jamie Nicholson
Media Communications Manager
Phone: 0419 220 293
Email: Jamie.Nicholson@medicinesaustralia.com.au