Inquiry into online health care system

Health Minister Peter Dutton has announced an inquiry into the personally controlled e-Health record system – an online summary allowing healthcare providers and hospitals to view and share a person’s health information.

Mr Dutton has the criticised the performance of the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record program, established by the previous Government.  He claims that only a fraction of people have established a record, and for those who have, only a few hundred doctors have added a Shared Health Summary.

The review panel will be chaired by Mr Richard Royle, Executive Director of the UnitingCare Health group in Queensland. The other members are Dr Steve Hambleton, President of the Australian Medical Association, and Mr Andrew Walduck, Chief Information Officer of Australia Post.

After taking public submissions, the panel will report to the Minister by mid-December.