Latest news with #MyHealthRecord
AU Financial Review
7 hours ago
- Business
- AU Financial Review
This $50m medical scribe start-up says it can cure doctors' admin pain
It wasn't so long ago that millions of Australians chose to opt out of the government's My Health Record scheme – which allowed medical practitioners to centralise patient information in a shared database – over privacy concerns. But attitudes have changed in recent years, and companies that transcribe patient appointments using large language models are emerging as some of the fastest growing start-ups in Australia.
NZ Herald
11-05-2025
- Health
- NZ Herald
Vaccine rates putting New Zealand at risk of measles outbreak, health expert says
The person is a Fullers staff member and was believed to be infectious on sailings between Auckland CBD and Devonport on the evening of May 5. It was thought the person contracted measles while in Asia, however, at the point they flew back to New Zealand, they had not yet progressed to the infectious stage of the disease, Health NZ said. Health New Zealand protection clinical director Dr Susan Jack told Morning Report the country's vaccination rate was around 80%. 'Because measles is so highly infectious we actually need around 95% coverage,' she said. Jack said people who had been in contact with the case and weren't vaccinated needed to stay home from now. She said the National Public Health Service – Northern Region would be working through other possible exposures and would contact people directly. 'If you are at risk then our public health service will be in contact.' If those affected presented symptoms that include red eyes, fever and a cough, they should call ahead to their health centre before seeing others, Jack said. Locations for contact tracing People who were at these Auckland locations during these times are being asked to check their immunisation status and stay vigilant for symptoms (see below). Anyone not immune to measles, who was at these places, should phone Healthline on 0800 611 116 for advice as they are considered close contacts. 'If you are not immune, please stay at home until you have contacted Healthline,' Health NZ said in a statement. Woolworths Kelston: on May 3, 2.30pm - 4.30pm. All people who were at the supermarket could have been exposed, Health NZ said. Auckland Downtown Carpark, Customs St: on May 5, 1.30pm -2.30pm and 11pm - midnight. Health NZ said the groups they are especially concerned with were people who used the stairs between 1.30pm and 2.30pm, or people who were in the lifts between 11pm and midnight. Various sailings of the Fullers360 ferries on May 5 were affected, up to 7.40pm: 'Only those who used the toilets on these ferries are close contacts, everyone else should watch for symptoms,' Health NZ said. Advertisement Advertise with NZME. Fullers360 ferries sailings May 5, after 7.40pm: 'All people on these sailings are close contacts,' Health NZ said. Measles symptoms to watch for, and how to check your immunity status Your immunisation status can be checked on My Health Record, or by calling your healthcare provider. The Vaccination Helpline can also check records for children and young people during business hours: on 0800 28 29 26. Symptoms of measles include fever, coughing, runny nose and sore red eyes and (conjunctivitis), Health NZ said. And people with measles can also sometimes get a rash, that starts on the face and gradually spreads down the body to the arms and legs, lasting up to a week.
SBS Australia
27-04-2025
- Health
- SBS Australia
Coalition will match Labor's $200 million expansion of telehealth services
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (left), Opposition leader Peter Dutton (right) and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke (second left) after the third leaders' debate of the 2025 federal election campaign on 22 April 2025. Credit: AAP Image / James Brickwood The Coalition has pledged to match Labor's promise to launch a 24-hour '1800MEDICARE' service, allowing patients to access free after-hours general practice telehealth consultations. Labor has pledged $204.5 million over four years to revamp the existing Healthdirect service, operated in conjunction with the states and territories. Labor's promised telehealth overhaul, which it says would be in place by 1 January 2026, would ensure patients requiring urgent care between 6pm and 8am on weeknights or during weekends had access to a bulk-billed consultation with an after-hours GP via phone or video. Registered nurses would staff the line 24 hours a day on weekdays and weekends to provide immediate advice and refer patients to local GPs, hospitals or Medicare Urgent Care Clinics. The '1800Medicare' GP would have capacity to advise treatment of short-term illness injury or illness, and provide emergency prescriptions, with every consultation recorded under the MyHealth Record scheme. Healthdirect currently operates a 24-hour advice line, but does not offer integrated 24/7 telehealth GP consultations across all jurisdictions. "At this election, Australia faces a clear choice: a stronger Medicare with more bulk billing and more free urgent care under Labor, or more cuts to Medicare under [Opposition leader] Peter Dutton' s Liberals," Albanese said. On Sunday, the Coalition said it would match Labor's plan but added that it was "misleading for the prime minister to claim this is a new measure". "This is a rebadging of the existing Healthdirect service," a media statement from Opposition health spokesperson Anne Ruston said. "The prime minister should stop playing political games and focus on Australians' health." Labor expects the rebranded program to reduce pressure on public hospitals across the country, particularly Queensland and Tasmania, where not all existing Healthdirect services are uniformly available. "Around 250,000 Australians will avoid an unnecessary trip to a hospital emergency department, because of the free urgent GP care provided by 1800MEDICARE," Health Minister Mark Butler said. The policy capitalises on the booming popularity of telehealth consultations after the pandemic, and will also combat an increase in online-only GP services, which are not integrated with the Medicare system. According to the Medicare Benefits Schedule Review Advisory Committee, such services, which offer quick access to prescriptions and medical certificates, "do not support integrated, safe and high-quality care". On Saturday, Butler appeared in Launceston with Albanese, where the government in February unveiled an $8.5 billion funding injection to lift Medicare bulk billing rates and increase healthcare staff. At the time, the Coalition was quick to match the promise "dollar for dollar". The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) has welcomed the proposed telehealth expansion, saying it would be "a positive step forward". The president of the RACGP, Dr Michael Wright, said: "After-hours care is a key part of what GPs do in communities nation-wide every day, and this announcement recognises that." He also urged the government to work with GPs in implementing the plan. "We look forward to understanding the detail of this program, and working with the government to make sure that general practice is consulted every step of the way. It is essential that this service integrates with existing general practice care." Meanwhile, the Opposition leader has begun the final week of campaigning in Melbourne, flagging an intention to showcase Coalition momentum by visiting 28 key seats — around four a day — before polls close on Saturday. Needing to win 21 seats to form a majority government, Dutton is embarking on a cross-country trip seeking to tap into lingering cost-of-living anger. In the coming days, Dutton is expected to campaign in a number of seats held by for the first time since the writs were issued. Kooyong, Goldstein and Mackellar are among the seats the Opposition Leader is yet to visit, having made a brief appearance in teal-held Curtin in the campaign's second week. Gilmore, Aston and Gorton and are among the Labor seats Dutton is looking to flip, with liberal figures dismissive of published polling suggesting their primary vote has experienced a steady decline over recent weeks. The prime minister was also urging Labor faithful not to be complacent, telling party volunteers in Bass to not "leave anything in the tank" in the run-up to 3 May. Visit the to access articles, podcasts and videos from SBS News, NITV and our teams covering more than 60 languages.
SBS Australia
26-04-2025
- Health
- SBS Australia
Dial M for Medicare: Labor's $200 million telehealth salvo as Coalition plans 28-seat dash
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (left), Opposition leader Peter Dutton (right) and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke (second left) after the third leaders' debate of the 2025 federal election campaign on 22 April 2025. Credit: AAP Image / James Brickwood A re-elected Labor government would launch a 24 hour '1800MEDICARE' service, allowing patients to access free after-hours general practice telehealth consultations, as the Coalition signals its aim to visit 28 seats during a frantic final week of campaigning. At the government's final campaign rally ahead of the 3 May poll, the prime minister will pledge $204.5 million over four years, to revamp the existing Healthdirect service, operated in conjunction with the states and territories. Meanwhile, the Opposition leader will begin the final week in Melbourne, flagging an intention to showcase Coalition momentum by visiting 28 key seats — around four a day — before polls close on Saturday. Labor's promised telehealth overhaul, which it says would be in place by 1 January 2026, would ensure patients requiring urgent care between 6pm and 8am on weeknights or during weekends had access to a bulk-billed consultation with an after-hours GP via phone or video. Registered nurses would staff the line 24 hours a day on weekdays and weekends to provide immediate advice and refer patients to local GPs, hospitals or Medicare Urgent Care Clinics. The '1800Medicare' GP would have capacity to advise treatment of short-term illness injury or illness, and provide emergency prescriptions, with every consultation recorded under the MyHealth Record scheme. Healthdirect currently operates a 24-hour advice line, but does not offer integrated 24/7 telehealth GP consultations across all jurisdictions. "At this election Australia faces a clear choice: a stronger Medicare with more bulk billing and more free urgent care under Labor, or more cuts to Medicare under [Opposition leader] Peter Dutton's Liberals," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. Dutton has said at various points throughout the campaign that Labor's claims that he would cut Medicare if elected are a baseless scare campaign. Labor expects the re-badged program to reduce pressure on public hospitals across the country, particularly Queensland and Tasmania, where not all existing healthdirect services are uniformly available. "Around 250,000 Australians will avoid an unnecessary trip to a hospital emergency department, because of the free urgent GP care provided by 1800MEDICARE," Health Minister Mark Butler said. The policy capitalises on the booming popularity of telehealth consultations after the pandemics, and will also combat an increase in online-only GP services, which are not integrated with the Medicare system. According to the Medicare Benefits Schedule Review Advisory Committee, such services, which offer quick access to prescriptions and medical certifcates, "do not support integrated, safe and high-quality care". On Saturday, Butler appeared in Launceston with Albanese, where the government in February unveiled an $8.5 billion funding injection to lift Medicare bulk billing rates and increase healthcare staff. At the time, The Coalition was quick to match the promise "dollar for dollar" — and will face pressure to match this latest announcement. Needing to win 21 seats to form a majority government, Dutton will begin the final week of vote-winning in Melbourne tomorrow, before embarking on a cross country campaign to harness lingering cost of living anger. In the coming days, Dutton is expected to campaign in a number of seats held by Climate Independents for the first time since the writs were issued. Kooyong, Goldestein and Mackellar are among the seats the Opposition Leader is yet to visit, having made a brief appearance in teal-held Curtin in the campaign's second week. Gilmore, Aston and Gorton and Bennelong are among the Labor seats Dutton is looking to flip, with liberal figures dismissive of published polling suggesting their primary vote has experienced a steady decline over recent weeks. The Prime Minister was also urging Labor faithful not to be complacent, telling party volunteers in Bass to not "leave anything in the tank" in the run-up to 3 May. Visit the to access articles, podcasts and videos from SBS News, NITV and our teams covering more than 60 languages.
Global News
24-04-2025
- Health
- Global News
Measles advisory issued for Taber Health Centre
Alberta Health Services has issued an advisory that people who recently visited the emergency department at the Taber Health Centre may have been exposed to a confirmed case of measles from a person who was infectious at the time. AHS is urging anyone who was at the health centre (4326 – 50 Ave.) on April 16 between midnight and 3:40 a.m. to check if their measles vaccinations are up to date and monitor themselves for symptoms of measles. Health officials say anyone who was born in or after 1970 and has fewer than two doses of the measles vaccine is at risk of contracting the virus, which is highly contagious and easily transmitted through the air. People who are pregnant, less than one year of age or have weakened immune systems are at greatest risk. Story continues below advertisement View image in full screen AHS is asking anyone who visited the emergency department at the Taber Health Centre on April 16 between midnight and 3:40 a.m. to watch for signs of measles. Global News The symptoms of measles include: Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy A fever of 38.3° C or higher. Cough, runny nose and/or red eyes. A rash that appears three to seven days after the fever starts, usually beginning behind the ears and on the face and spreading down to the body. Anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to measles or who is uncertain about their immunization history is urged to call Alberta Health Link at 811 or to contact their local community health centre. Immunization records are also available online at My Health Record. Complications of measles can include ear infections, pneumonia, inflammation of the brain, premature delivery and, on rare occasions, death. View image in full screen Symptoms of measles include a fever of 38.3 C or higher, a cough, runny nose and a rash that usually starts behind the ears or on the face and spreads down the body. Getty Images The latest information on the measles outbreak in Alberta is also available on the AHS website. Story continues below advertisement The Alberta government said, as of noon on Wednesday, there have been 122 confirmed cases of measles in the province, with almost half of them in the central health region. Alberta has the second-largest outbreak in Canada after Ontario, where there have been more than 800 confirmed cases of measles. The province of Quebec recently declared an end to its measles outbreak after more than 32 days passed without any newly confirmed cases.
