The Impact of My Health Record Use in Primary Care in the Western Sydney Primary Health Network Region : Qualitative Evaluation

This report presents the findings of a qualitative evaluation of My Health Record (MHR) use among primary care practices in the Western Sydney Primary Health Network, who have been part of the Western Sydney General Practice Data Linkage Pilot Project (currently still an opt-in region of NSW for MHR). MHR is designed to be an effective digital system of shared and connected patient information to support improved health care with the introduction giving healthcare organisations the opportunity for faster, easier access to important summary health information for their patients. While there is some evidence that MHR improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the Australian health system, a consistent improvement of quality care has not yet been demonstrated and potentially may also be increasing healthcare provider workload. The present study aimed to qualitatively examine how MHR may impact on clinicians and consumers by potentially improving work efficiency, reducing time spent on communication with other clinicians, improving medication safety, and reducing duplicative diagnostic imaging and pathology testing. Findings from this research reveal several insights into the primary care experience, in the Western Sydney Primary Health Network region, around satisfaction and impact of MHR on daily practice. The most promising finding is the positive perceptions of MHR among these primary care providers, despite current low usage coupled with the limitations and challenges outlined in this study. For frequency of use of MHR to improve, however, population of the system with comprehensive high quality data, presented in a manner that is user friendly and efficient to use is much needed as factors strongly affecting motivation to use MHR are the limited availability of viewable data, data quality, low interaction with other health care providers and the lack of current clinical outcome improvements. As one GP reported "I'd use it all the time if I could easily access everything on there, why wouldn't I?"