My Health Record
My Health Record (MHR) is a centralised digital database housing an individual’s health information in Australia. On this webpage, NAPWHA provides information and links to resources on risks and impacts on MHR, addressing specific concerns for people living with HIV.
Keep in mind that your My Health Record is only viewable by you and the doctors involved in your healthcare. And access is strictly monitored. Your My Health Record can not be accessed by anyone other than a doctor involved in your care.
Update October 2025
New laws were recently introduced which mean that more of your health information will be automatically uploaded to My Health Record.
Starting from 9 October 2025:
- Most pathology reports (like blood and urine tests) will be available for you and your doctors to view in My Health Record or my health app as soon as they are uploaded. This will include HIV serology, like viral load tests.
- Some results, including anatomical pathology, cytopathology and genetic testing, will be viewable after a 5-day delay, reduced from the previous 7-day delay.
Healthcare providers delivering pathology and diagnostic imaging tests (like blood tests and x-rays) will be required to upload written reports to My Health Record by default.
Your test results will be uploaded to My Health Record, unless you ask for them not to be. You can do this at the time the pathology request is made by asking your doctor to tick a box on the form: “do not upload to My Health Record “. Your doctor may choose to do this anyway.
Keep in mind that your My Health Record is only viewable by you and the doctors involved in your healthcare. And access is strictly monitored. Your My Health Record can not be accessed by anyone other than a doctor involved in your care.
Some people with HIV see it as a good thing that wherever they are, the doctor they are seeing can access all their health records.
Some people with HIV are concerned about their medical history being held by the government. That is why there are different ways you can control what information is held and who can view what.
More information here: Better and Faster Access
Steps to opt out of My Health Record or control who can access it
1. If you don’t yet have a record
- When the system was originally set up (in 2018–2019), there was a one-off national opt-out period.
- If you missed that, and you don’t currently have a record, you can still choose not to create one when interacting with healthcare providers or government services.
2. If you already have a record
You can’t fully “delete” an existing record, but you can cancel it:
- Log in to My Health Record via myGov
- Go to: Profile & Settings → Profile & access settings → Cancel My Health Record
- Follow the steps to cancel.
- Cancelling means your record becomes inaccessible to healthcare providers. Some data may still be securely retained by the system (for legal and auditing purposes), but it will no longer be available to view or update.
3. Restricting access instead of cancelling
If you don’t want to cancel completely, you can:
- Set access controls (decide which healthcare providers can or can’t see your record).
- Use a Record Access Code or Limited Document Access Code for tighter control.
How to set a Record Access Code:
- Go to: Privacy & Access → Healthcare Organisation Access
- Follow the steps to set your record access code.
How to remove or restrict access to specific documents:
- Go to: Privacy & Access → Document Access
- Select the information you would like to restrict.
4. Other ways to cancel
- Call the My Health Record Help line: 1800 723 471
- Or complete a paper form: Application to Cancel My Health Record (available through Services Australia). Download the form.
Other resources
Consumer Fact Sheet – Your pathology and diagnostic imaging reports in My Health Record
What information is stored on a MHR?
My Health Record (MHR) is an online centralised digital database owned by the Australian federal government of summary health information for all Australians, including people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the one place. The information can be accessed by the individual, selected healthcare providers and various other participants in the MHR system.
Healthcare providers such as GPs, specialists, pharmacists and hospital staff can all add documents to your MHR. Your MHR will be populated with Medicare (PBS and MBS items, like the last time you went to see your doctor) records from the previous two years as the record is set up. It can include your prescriptions, your medical conditions, allergies, test results (like pathology results, sexual health screenings, blood tests or X-ray reports). It can also hold documents uploaded by your GP (like referral letters to specialists) and hospitals can upload discharge summaries and follow-up care information. This is what is known as ‘primary use’ of your MHR.
For some PLHIV this might be useful. It will improve health outcomes and reduce waiting times for test results and inefficiency (pathology, polypharmacy, etc). It is likely to reduce the incidence of adverse medical events and ensure everyone has the information they need to treat you in a responsive and timely way.
Want to see how the My Health Record website works on a fictitious record?
You can access a My Health Record Consumer Portal “Sandpit Environment” which simulates the look and functionality of a consumer’s view of the My Health Record system for a fictitious patient, and replicates many of the functions with which consumers may interact. The training environment also provides a simulation of the My Health Record Consumer Portal. This system simulates the look and functionality of a consumer’s view of the My Health Record system for a fictitious patient, and replicates many of the functions with which consumers may interact.
Get started with On-Demand training
1. In a web browser, type the web address to take you to a login screen: https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/using-the-my-health-record-system/digital-health-training-resources/on-demand
2. The username is ‘OnDemandTrainingUser’ and should be completed for you in the field. (Note that the username is case sensitive)
3. The password is ‘TrainMe’ in the field. (Note that the password is case sensitive)
4. Click ‘Go to On Demand Training’. This will take you to the My Health Record “Sandpit Environment”.
5. Select the patient called ‘Caleb Derrington’ – as he has the most documents in his My Health Record, so it’s easier to get a feel for how it works.
Risks and impacts of your MHR
The NAPWHA My Health Record Factsheet published in 2018, is a resource that gives basic information on privacy concerns of MHR, and outlines some of the benefits and risks.
In order to properly operate the privacy controls of MHR, you would need to understand and assess every single piece of information on your MHR and make a decision about who it should be shared with. You will also need to have the IT skills to operate the system and set the controls. If you have limited time or limited tech skills, you may not be able to effectively operate the privacy controls and your information could be unnecessarily disclosed.
Control who can look at your MHR information
Control who can look at your My Health Record information — this resource published by the Australian Digital Health Agency provides a step-by-step guide to how to set access controls on your My Health Record.
Only the healthcare providers giving you medical care can look
at your MHR. If you want extra privacy, you can set access codes or delete documents and Medicare information from your record at any time. This resource includes instructions on how to set a Record Access Code; how to remove a doctor from the Healthcare Provider Access list; and how to set a Limited Document Access Code.
How MHR information is protected
How your My Health Record information is protected — this resource published by the Australian Digital Health Agency provides answers to a range of frequently asked questions.
Who can see my health information? Can the police, Centrelink and ATO access my record? Can an insurance company or my employer access my record? Can my health information be used for research? Can someone use Google to find my health information? What if someone looks at my record when they shouldn’t have? What if there is information that I don’t want my healthcare provider to see? Do I have to do anything to keep my health information private?
Control your health information securely, in one place
Control your health information securely in one place — this resource published by the Australian Digital Health Agency outlines basic information of My Health Record.
How to look at your My Health Record for the first time. How your healthcare provider uses your My Health Record. Control who can see your health information. Setting your notification preferences.
When you first look at your record, there may not be much information in it. Your past medical records and test results may not be in it. You or your healthcare provider can start adding new information to your My Health Record at any time.
