In the remote Northern Territory township of Ltyentye Apurte, better known as Santa Teresa, a digital health transformation is quietly underway.
A place where gospel and red dust fill the air, and digital healthcare supports the community with another kind of healing. While most residents speak several Indigenous languages, in a medical emergency, there’s only one language that matters - connected care.
Thanks to the modernisation of My Health Record, the ability for a doctor to access a patient’s health story instantly, regardless of language or location, is nothing short of transformative. For example, if a Santa Teresa resident presents to the local health clinic requiring urgent hospitalisation, within minutes, staff at Alice Springs Hospital could be accessing the patient’s My Health Record.
“Accessing a complete medical history is incredibly important to making sure you get the diagnosis right at the beginning,” said Dr Daniel Adams, head of retrieval services at Alice Springs Hospital. “We often check My Health Record to see if there’s a more up-to-date list of medications or any red flags we need to know before treatment.”
That single access point to a patient’s history can help rescue teams avoid a potentially dangerous drug interaction and give them the confidence to proceed with life-saving care.
This is just one example of how digital health is transforming care across Australia.
This transformation is no accident - it’s the result of the Australian Digital Health Agency’s (the Agency) modernisation of My Health Record, a cornerstone of the National Digital Health Strategy Action and Impact Report released today.
The report highlights the significant progress made since the launch of the National Digital Health Strategy 2023–2028 (the strategy) and its accompanying Delivery Roadmap.
Together, the Agency outlines a vision for an inclusive, sustainable and healthier future, supported by 80 initiatives across 12 priority areas. Approximately 47% of the Agency-led or co-led initiatives are complete and 53% are in progress.
“These improvements are helping Australians access safer, more efficient and more coordinated care,” said Amanda Cattermole PSM, CEO of the Agency.
“We’re seeing stronger connections between Australians and their care teams, better access to health information, and a growing digital capability across the health system.”
Agency Chief Program Officer Paul Creech said these initiatives ensure health data is available when and where it’s needed for all Australians.
“We’re building the digital foundations of a health system that puts Australians at the centre. Through initiatives like Faster Access to pathology results and infrastructure like Health Connect Australia we’re enabling secure, accurate and timely sharing of health information,” Mr Creech said.
The strategy’s impact is clear. Weekly clinician views of pathology reports have increased by 285%, and diagnostic imaging views have surged by 390%*. These improvements support faster diagnoses, fewer repeat tests, and more confident clinical decisions.
Dr John Boffa, chief medical officer at Central Australian Aboriginal Congress, said My Health Record has transformed how care is delivered across clinics.
“It allows us to provide comprehensive primary healthcare at any point, at any clinic, as needed, and when needed by the patient,” he said. “Without that information, there are things you just can’t do. You might not know what tablets patients are on or what blood tests they’ve had. You might be forced to duplicate tests. Those days are gone. My Health Record is an integral part of the solution.”
The strategy’s outcomes are helping remote health services such as Mpwelarre Health Service, in Santa Teresa, where staff rely on My Health Record to understand a patient’s full care history.
“It lets us see what other services a patient may have gone to,” said health centre manager Donald Blackman.
For clinical administration coordinator Courtney Forbes, My Health Record bridges language and cultural gaps.
“I could sometimes be the voice for those who don’t know how to communicate, especially when it comes to appointments,” Ms Forbes said. “For many in our community, English isn’t their first language.”
Remote area nurse Susan Kenny said digital tools like My Health Record help to reduce the risk of mistreatment.
“Most of the people we treat speak 4 or 5 languages,” Ms Kenny said. “You’re always worrying that your treatment might hurt someone if you don’t know the specifics. My job would be impossibly hard without My Health Record.”
The Agency leads or co-leads 32 of the strategy’s initiatives, including modernising My Health Record with FHIR and implementing Sharing by Default for pathology and diagnostic imaging reports.
Programs like Health Connect Australia and the Interoperability Plan are laying the digital foundations for a health system that puts Australians at the centre.
While the progress is significant, the Agency remains focused on delivering the remaining initiatives in collaboration with healthcare providers, researchers, technology vendors, and care organisations.
From remote communities to major hospitals, digital health is creating a more connected, equitable healthcare system. The strategy is the plan to deliver care that reaches every Australian in every corner of the country.
*Since the introduction of the Share by Default policy to Parliament in 2023