My Health Record system crashes as Australians rush to opt out

[imastawka]

The My Health Record telephone opt-out service has overloaded and crashed as Australians rush to opt out of the controversial e-health system before the November 15 deadline.

Callers to the helpline are being told the computer system used by call centre operators has crashed.

"We've been inundated with calls," one operator said on Tuesday morning. "They are working as quickly as possible to get it up and running again."

One patient was advised to "try again later or tomorrow" and that the line would be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is understood that people have also had difficulties opting out online.

About 17 million Australians will be automatically enrolled in the My Health record if they do not opt out by next Thursday, despite lingering significant privacy concerns.

It comes as Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt weighs up Labor's demands for six additional amendments to a government bill that is yet to pass in Parliament, which would address some of the privacy and security concerns of the existing legislation.

Australian Medical Association President Tony Bartone last night met with staffers from Mr Hunt's office to make the case for the minister to accept the recommendations of the Senate inquiry into the My Health Record rollout.

Legislation that would enshrine a patient's right to permanently delete their record, and ensure that police may only access a person's medical history with a court order, is yet to pass Parliament but politicians will not get a chance to debate the bill before the opt-out deadline passes on November 15.

The Senate inquiry last month recommended that the opt-out period be extended by 12 months and legislation substantially rewritten to safeguard patients' safety and privacy, but Mr Hunt refused to extend the opt-out period.

Labor has outlined six amendments, based on key Senate inquiry recommendations, which it will move to the government's bill if the issue is not resolved before the next sitting period.

These amendments will ensure that My Health Record "can never be privatised or commercialised"; that private health insurers "can never access My Health Records, including de-identified data"; and that employer doctors cannot access worker health records.

Labor will also move an amendment to ensure that domestic violence victims are protected, by "narrowing the definition of parental responsibility" as it applies to the scheme.

Currently, a violent former partner may access their child's My Health Record, even if they are not the custodial parent.

Domestic violence advocates have raised concerns that this information could be used to track down a person who is in hiding for safety reasons.

The Labor amendments will also specify that the Australian Digital Health Agency cannot delegate access to patient records to other entities, and enshrine tougher penalties for breaches of the My Health Record Act.

Opposition Health spokeswoman Catherine King repeated her call for Mr Hunt to further extend the opt-out period.

"This rollout should not continue until all concerns have been resolved through legislation, and a Privacy Commissioner review has been completed," Ms King said.

"Nearly four months after public controversy first erupted - and with less than 10 days to go until the opt-out period ends - we still don't know what the government is planning to do to fix this mess. The government’s rollout has seriously undermined public support for an electronic health record system that could deliver enormous benefits to patients and clinicians."

A spokesman for Mr Hunt said that, under the government's yet-to-be-passed reforms, anyone who opted out after the November 15 deadline would be able to have their details "deleted forever".

“The opt-out date has already been extended and the opt-outs are travelling at a significantly lower rate than expected," the spokeswoman said on Monday.

The Australian Digital Health Agency has been contacted for comment.

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/my-health-record-system-crashes-as-australians-rush-to-opt-...

[marwi_3023]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-07/experts-still-not-convinced-about-my-health/10594352

[chameleon54]

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@imastawka wrote:

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@domino-710 wrote:

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@imastawka wrote:

Again - not really an answer.

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There wasn't a question.

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Yes there was.

See post #14 -

Can someone give a scenario whereby it's a bad idea to keep a central database of

your medical records.

For instance, the Police/Department of Human Services etc will have access..........what will they do with it?

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Some-one who has a history of mental illness, but who is travelling OK may not want the police to know their medical history as it could be used against them.

example - A person with a needle phobia has a car accident. The police check their record and see they have a needle phobia. They want to get their conviction numbers up for the month, so demand the person undergoes a blood test to ascertain if they are driving under the influence of something. The person refuses and requests an oral fluid test instead. The police insist on a needle. Victim refuses and immediately loses their licence for 12 months.

It can take months for the police victim to go through the court system trying to get their licence back. In the mean time they cant drive to work and lose their job. Six weeks wait to get the dole. No money, no food, no money for lawyers, no money for fines issued for refusing to take a blood test. In the end the victom just plea bargains to a lessor offence that they did not commit, just to get it over with and regain their licence.

Sound far fetched ? This scenario has already happened to someone I know recently. ( minus police accessing their medical records of course ) 

[chameleon54]

Many police are bullies. They go into the police force as it fulfills their need to boss people around and stand over people. The posters who write  " if you arnt doing anything wrong, you have got nothing to worry about "  are obviously not an 18 YO indigenous male, or some-one with a long history of mental illness, or a young person born into " the wrong " family, or a homeless person, or a young  African refugee or a transvestite.

Police don't bully 65 YO woman driving little cars to the shops. They bully the weak, the poor and vulnerable members of society. People who don't have a voice and who don't have the resources to fight back. Once police get access to peoples health records, it will open a Pandora's box for them.  They will invent all sorts of ways to abuse the information and further victimise the vulnerable members of our society. Maybe if police forces where willing to weed out all of the rotten eggs in their service, it may be more acceptable. Unfortunately if the police did cull the bullies, there would not be enough good guys left to continue running the show.

Giving the police access to peoples health records is a dangerous and unnecessary invasion of peoples private information. The police have a long history of corruption and persecution of minority groups ( example - . black deaths in custody ) and unfortunately, simply cant be trusted with the information.

[marwi_3023]

My concern is more about commercialisation of the My Health Records.
The Liberal party love commercialising everything.
Why else would they establish one.
Oh, that's right because they are so kind hearted