Most people presenting for even a minor medical procedure find it difficult to compile the required medical history record required. They need to list any previous surgery and every ailment for which they received treatment - and many have difficulty remembering exactly what current medication they are taking. It is daunting to be presented with a pen and clipboard - and be expected to detail every medical event and ailment that has occurred during their lifetime. This was supposed to be relegated to the past when the previous Federal government introduced the " Electronic Health Record ".
Unfortunately, this was a shambolic failure. The government spent a billion dollars, but only managed to attract five thousand patients to record their medical history online. As a result, the cost was a staggering $ 200,000 for each patient.
Part of the problem was the failure to produce software to enable this information to be compatible with doctor's computers. The system was full of glitches and both patients and their doctors lost patience with what was a truly wonderful idea - but now it is being resurrected.
The current government has recruited a top health professional to iron out the problems and get a software regime in place to coordinate the flow of health information to all who need it. Control will be entirely in the hands of the patient. Each person will have an individual bar code to release the stored information to the selected doctor or hospital offering treatment.
That is something people should keep in their purse of wallet. Previous health information is vital when a person arrives in an emergency room and immediate treatment is needed to preserve life. Time is saved if the treating doctors are aware of previous history - and have vital information on what drugs are incompatible to the patient. A patient suffering shock from an accident is usually not capable of providing a coherent verbal medical history.
The biggest challenge will be to sell the idea of a " Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record programme " to every person in Australia and get them to record that information online. Doctors will start enthusiastically promoting this - once they are aware that the system is in place to make it work, but it will likely be a movement that will take years to reach critical mass.
Eventually, Australia should gain the benefit of having an integrated health record instantly available to any doctor or hospital tasked with treating a patient - and the days of trying to complete an accurate medical history from memory by filling in a questionnaire will be a thing of the past !
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