My Health Record consumer case study - Ian Gillies

Ian Gillies: My names Ian. Im a farmer and I live in Yankalilla in South Australia. Ive been coming to the centre here for about 12 years now. I first met Chris when I came here and we just seemed to have a rapport.

I understand him and he understands me. And he, I guess he is one of those people you find that really digs to come up with an answer. Hes just like some of the good mechanics we had in the air force. Record keeping has been in the aviation industry ever since it was invented.

Every airplane thats ever built has its own maintenance log with it, and its the perfect system. When Chris told me about the My Health Record, he didnt have to sell me at all. My Health Record gives you the the facility to go in and immediately investigate what your maintenance record has been like as a human being. Dr Chris Moy: There are so many benefits for patients in terms of getting information to the point of care when there might be no other information.

For example, patients who are travelling, patients who turn up in hospitals or emergency departments. This really is a document which can represent the patient in terms of their wishes but also tell who we need to talk to if the patient has lost capacity to make decisions. Ians case was an excellent example of where the My Health Record could come into its own. Ian Gillies: It was my sons birthday.

As usual we went to Sydney for this particular sons birthday. Checked into the hotel. Three hours later I was in the back of the ambulance heading to St Vincents Hospital. They found I had a thing called pancreatitis.

Eventually after four days in there, I talked them into letting me out on the basis that as soon as I got home I went to see my own doctor. Dr Chris Moy: He had been discharged from a hospital, from another state, with no information. He had been told that he needed to follow up and to get something important done. And he presented to me with no information.

Ian Gillies: With the My Health Record of course it was available within, what a minute within walking into Chris room. Dr Chris Moy: I was able to look at the My Health Record and found that there was a discharge summary, with information about what he had and what he needed done. And that was gold in this situation. It was information that I would not have otherwise had, which made all the difference to his care at that stage.

Ian Gillies: He knew exactly what to do to pick it up from that point and to start caring for me on the basis of what he found in the My health Record. Dr Chris Moy: There is potential now to add things like pathology and diagnostic imaging, blood tests and x-rays. To the point of care when we have never had that before. Ian Gilles: Marvellous system.

Im glad I signed up for it two or three years before. It looks after me. And thats what its for..