"Instead of relying on guesswork, I had a clear picture from the start"

Northern Rivers podiatrist David Shaw explains why he started using My Health Record, and how it changed the way he approaches complex new patient appointments.

As a sole practitioner, David Shaw treats a wide variety of patients, from those recovering from surgery to individuals managing complex musculoskeletal conditions. For these patients, the first appointment has always demanded extensive background information gathering. For a long time, that meant relying heavily on what the patient could recall and the paperwork they were referred with.

“People often have limited memory of what happened during a hospital admission, or they’re unsure exactly what procedures were performed,” David says. "You don't always receive all the information from their referrer or they are self-referred so you piece together what you can, but you’re always aware that something important might be missing.”

What changed

David personally "opted in" when My Health Record first went public in early 2019. He discovered the power of My Health Record while working as a Digital Health Advisor for the Digital Health Agency but was quickly aware of how rarely any of his personal health care team used it. "My GP wasn't uploading anything to it. Even my local hospital wasn't using it when I had an emergency admission". Once David started using My Health Record in his practice, he discovered he could access discharge summaries, imaging and pathology results, prescriptions, allergies and clinical notes from other providers before or during a first consultation. He says, "Not every patient has a complete record, but when the information is there, it changes the shape of the entire appointment".

"Instead of spending the first part of the session trying to establish what has already happened, I can get straight to the clinical work," he says. "It saves time and it means I am making decisions based on verified information rather than patient recall."

"The information contained within a consumers My Health Record is particularly helpful to access when I'm with new patients or existing patients who have significant changes in their clinical presentation that I need more clarity about."

The practical difference

The biggest change David has noticed is the confidence he now brings to complex cases. Previously, he often had to make multiple follow-up calls to hospitals and other treating clinicians to chase down missing documentation.

Today, that information is increasingly available directly in the patient record. This allows him to move much more quickly into treatment planning. “The first appointment used to be heavily focused on information gathering,” he says. “Now I can spend that time focusing on the patient in front of me.”

Advice for other allied health professionals

David's advice to other practitioners is straightforward: start with your own record.

"If you never opted out, look up your own My Health Record first and see what's in there. Once you know what it looks like from the patient side, google the National Provider Portal and have a look at one of your consenting patients' records. You'll never know what it can do for you until you have a proper look."

From there, he says, the value becomes clear quickly. Patient recall alone is rarely enough, particularly for complex wounds, musculoskeletal or post-surgical cases. "There is almost always more to the story."

He also recommends the 1800Medicare app. "Download it onto your phone and encourage your patients to do the same. It lets them carry their health record with them wherever they go. In complex clinical situations that information can make a real difference."

His final word is on timing. "Development is now focused on allied health, so the system is only going to get more useful. Start building it into your preparation for new appointments now. The more practitioners who adopt it, the faster it improves."

This story was shared in partnership with the Australian Podiatry Association. If your association has a member story to tell, contact AHPA at communications@ahpa.com.au