Welcome to the 9th Edition of Partnership Pulse, the Australian Digital Health Agency (the Agency)'s stakeholder newsletter, designed to keep you informed and connected with key initiatives, projects and engagement opportunities across the Agency. Each edition shares updates on major programs and initiatives, as well as recent media releases and Agency news, highlights from project and program areas, opportunities to contribute through consultations, surveys, upcoming events, and learning resources to support digital health knowledge.
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Thank you for your continued partnership as we work together to support a more connected digital health system for all Australians.
Agency spotlight
My Health Record legislative transition period ending soon
The My Health Records Rules 2026 (the 2026 Rules) came into effect on 1 April 2026, replacing the My Health Records Rule 2016. Organisations registered for My Health Record prior to 1 April 2026 were provided a 6-month transition period to begin complying with updated requirements under the 2026 Rules.
As the end of the transition period approaches, healthcare provider organisations should ensure they are prepared to meet their obligations under the 2026 Rules from 1 October 2026. This includes updated requirements in relation to My Health Record security and access policies and the introduction of new record-keeping requirements.
Preparing for 1 October 2026 – New resources and guidance materials now available
Whether your organisation is updating an existing security and access policy or reviewing it as part of the annual review requirements, now is a good time to assess current security and access policies against the requirements of the 2026 Rules.
To support healthcare provider organisations, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), in collaboration with the Agency, has developed an updated My Health Record security and access policy template.
This template is designed support healthcare provider organisations to develop new or revise existing security and access policies to ensure they are eligible for, and remain eligible for, registration with the My Health Record System.
The Agency has also developed a fact sheet (PDF, 176.96 KB)outlining the key updates organisations should consider when reviewing their existing security and access policies. This resource provides a practical summary of the changes required to align with the 2026 Rules.
Organisations are also encouraged to familiarise themselves with new record-keeping requirements which apply from 1 October 2026. Further guidance in relation to these requirements can be found on the recently updated My Health Record Participation Obligations webpage.
Building Connected Care: Three reforms shaping the future of Australian healthcare
Australia's health system is entering a significant period of transformation, with Share by Default, National Medicines Record (NMR) and Thriving Kids – Child Health Record (CHR) helping to create a more connected, coordinated and person-centred healthcare system.
Together, these initiatives support a common goal: enabling the optimal care pathway, where clinicians, consumers and the broader care team can access the right health and care information at the right time. They also bring to life the connected care agenda by advancing interoperability, modernisation, expanded access and more consistent and secured information sharing across the healthcare system.
Importantly, these initiatives work in concert to establish the foundations for digital health reform and creating reusable capability that can be leveraged across multiple health and care priorities.
Share by Default provides a framework for increased sharing of information to support informed decisions about a person’s health and wellbeing. It is a foundational element for connected care that complements both National Medicines Record and Thriving Kids. Following the successful introduction of rules for sharing of pathology and diagnostic imaging reports, the next phase will introduce requirements for sharing of medicines information and GP Chronic Condition Management Plans to My Health Record by default. The Agency is also working with the Department to develop a future Share by Default roadmap, providing the sector with greater visibility of upcoming reforms and supporting the broader transition towards FHIR®-enabled interoperability.
National Medicines Record aims to create a more complete and connected view of medicines information across the healthcare system. To support this vision, the Agency in partnership with the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (Department) is delivering core foundations including Patient Medicines History service, and establishing the National Prescription delivery Service (NPDS) as the Registered Repository Operator (RRO), as a critical piece needed to enhance medicines information sharing and future implementation. In parallel, the Department is preparing for public consultation on the National Medicines Record to inform its design, implementation approach, and future direction, helping to shape a more connected medicines information ecosystem for Australia.
The Thriving Kids - Child Health Record program recognises the importance of early childhood intervention and coordinated care.
The Agency, together with the Department, Services Australia and CSIRO, is leading delivery of key digital enablers for this program. This includes delivery of a nationally standardised 3-Year-Old Health Check, reminders through the 1800MEDICARE app, partnering with Services Australia to modernise the Individual Healthcare Identifiers service for newborns and establishing the foundations for a broader Child Health Record capability over time.
While the Child Health Record is a key component of the Government's Thriving Kids initiative, delivery also forms part of a broader digital health reform agenda to support children's long-term health and wellbeing.
The Agency is establishing the governance, partnerships and sector engagement needed to support successful delivery. This includes establishing program governance arrangements and advisory mechanisms such as the Thriving Kids – Child Health Record Expert Advisory Group, supported through existing digital health governance forums, to ensure clinical, consumer, jurisdictional and sector perspectives are incorporated into design and delivery. Together, these arrangements help ensure implementation remains aligned to policy intent: supporting earlier intervention, safer and more coordinated care, reducing fragmentation across the health system, and helping consumers and care teams access the information they need when and where it matters most.
Together, these initiatives will help reduce fragmentation, support safer prescribing and dispensing, and improve continuity of care across healthcare settings.
Agency news
Clinician use of My Health Record continues to grow strongly following the announcement of Share by Default in May 2023, with views of diagnostic imaging reports increasing by 866% and pathology reports increasing by 642%, as of 2 August 2026.
Australian sprinter Lachlan Kennedy's support team, including exercise physiologist Matt Crear, highlights the value of connected care for people living with diabetes. Through My Health Record, healthcare providers can access key health information, such as pathology and diagnostic imaging reports, helping them make informed decisions, improve collaboration, and deliver more coordinated care. Patients can also access their health information through the 1800MEDICARE app, supporting more informed conversations with their healthcare team.
Highlights
New My Health Record eLearning courses for hospital clinicians and midwives
The Agency has recently released two new My Health Record eLearning courses: My Health Record for Hospital Clinicians and Using My Health Record in Midwifery. These courses have been developed to support the learning needs of healthcare professionals and demonstrate how My Health Record can be used in clinical practice to support safer, more connected care.
My Health Record for hospital clinicians
The course was developed by the Agency's Education team based on a learning needs analysis for hospital groups, feedback from Digital Health Advisers, and input from internal Agency teams including Policy, Privacy, Compliance, Cyber Security, Medicines Safety and Clinical Safety.
The course is designed to meet the My Health Record training needs of hospital groups seeking one consolidated eLearning course that can be used to support participation obligations. It is a requirement that healthcare provider organisations provide staff with My Health Record training before they are authorised to use their system, following any significant changes to My Health Record legislation, and annually.
Using My Health Record in midwifery
The course was co-developed by the Agency's Education team and the Australian College of Midwives (ACM), informed by subject matter expertise from ACM and input from the Agency's Policy and Clinical Safety teams.
The course is designed to support the My Health Record learning needs of midwives by demonstrating how My Health Record can be integrated into routine midwifery practice to support clinical decision-making, improve safety and enhance continuity of care across healthcare settings.
Using a case-based learning approach, the course provides practical, real-world scenarios that demonstrate the use of My Health Record throughout the maternity care journey. Suitable for midwives working across public, private and community healthcare settings, the course takes approximately 45 minutes to complete.
To access these courses, or view the full range of courses and resources available, visit the Agency's Online Learning Portal and the Agency eLearning Courses and Hosting Guide.
Strong sector response highlights growing demand for digital health education
The Agency's inaugural Digital Health eLearning Showcase, held on Tuesday 1st September, attracted strong interest from across the health and education sectors, with 694 registrations and 405 attendees joining the online event. The impressive response demonstrated the growing demand for practical, trusted digital health education and highlighted the important role education plays in building workforce capability and supporting the adoption of digital health tools across Australia's healthcare system.
The showcase brought together healthcare organisations, hospitals, primary health networks, universities, professional associations, government agencies, software vendors and training providers to explore the Agency's education offerings and learn how they support healthcare professionals, organisations, students and the future workforce to develop digital health knowledge, skills and confidence.
Throughout the showcase, attendees heard from presenters across the Agency's Education, Cyber Security and Partnerships teams about the role education plays in supporting a digitally capable workforce, the Agency's expanding catalogue of eLearning resources, cyber security awareness and education programs, and opportunities for organisations to host Agency courses within their own Learning Management Systems (LMS).
Education Manager, Dr Kathy Rainbird, highlighted the importance of workforce capability in enabling successful digital health adoption and improving patient outcomes, citing the NHS Topol Review (Preparing the Healthcare Workforce to Deliver the Digital Future, 2019):
"There's little point in investing in the latest technology if there's not a workforce with the right roles and skills to make use of its full potential and ultimately to benefit patients."
Monica Purser, Engagement Lead from the Partnerships, Development and Engagement team, introduced the new resources and outlined how LMS hosting can help organisations integrate trusted digital health education into onboarding, mandatory training, professional development and role-specific learning programs.
"Hosting gives your organisation full control and clear visibility over how our courses are delivered within your broader learning and development programs."
Australian Digital Health Agency eLearning courses and hosting guide (the guide)
The guide provides organisations with a central location to explore the Agency's course catalogue, understand hosting requirements and access supporting resources to help determine whether hosting Agency courses is right for their organisation.
Australian Digital Health Agency eLearning courses – External hosting request form
Accessible directly from the Guide, the external hosting request form provides a streamlined way for organisations to begin the hosting process by capturing key information about their LMS, training priorities and preferred courses. This allows the Agency to provide tailored advice and progress licensing arrangements more efficiently.
Showcase resources
For those who were unable to attend, or who would like to revisit the content, the showcase recording, presentation slides and written responses to commonly asked questions from the Q&A session are now available in one convenient location.
If you have questions about the Digital Health eLearning Showcase, the new hosting resources, or any of the Agency's education and training materials, please contact engagement@digitalhealth.gov.au.
The success of the Digital Health eLearning Showcase demonstrates the increasing importance of education in supporting Australia's digital health transformation. The strong attendance and engagement reinforce the value organisations place on accessible, high-quality learning resources that help build confidence, capability and understanding across the healthcare workforce.
FHIRside Forum
Join the FHIRside Community
Looking to build capability across standards and digital health interoperability? The FHIRside Forum is your online hub for collaboration, learning and innovation. Connect with peers, collaborate on challenges and stay up to date with the latest from the Agency.
The FHIRside Forum is designed to support standards strategy, development, adoption and implementation across all digital transformation journeys which includes, but is not limited to, HL7's FHIR.
Designed for everyone from beginners to experienced implementers, the FHIRside Forum provides a welcoming space to ask questions, share experiences, access resources, and learn from experts across the Australian health sector. Members can participate in discussions, catch up on previous webinar recordings, and register for upcoming events directly through the platform.
Register for the FHIRside forum
Learn, Connect and Collaborate through the FHIRside Forum via this form on the platform.
As part of the FHIRside community, you will have access to two monthly online events:
FHIRside Chats
Held on the second Tuesday of each month, these informal virtual drop-in sessions provide an opportunity to bring your questions, exchange ideas, and connect with peers, HL7 Australia representatives, and Agency experts in a collaborative environment.
FHIRside Webinars
Held on the fourth Tuesday of each month, these structured sessions feature guest speakers and offer practical insights on standards implementation, interoperability, and digital health innovation. Upcoming webinars explore real-world experiences, lessons learned, and emerging opportunities for standards adoption across Australia, including FHIR.
Whether you are just starting in standards and your interoperability journey or leading implementation projects, the FHIRside Forum offers valuable opportunities to learn, share knowledge, and grow your professional network.
Register for the FHIRside Forum today to access discussions, resources, FHIRside Chats, and upcoming webinars.
New Courses from our Standards Academy
The Standards Academy has recently released three new eLearning courses. The first is 'Introduction to FHIR®', a foundation course designed to build capability across all skill-levels in the adoption and implementation of FHIR for improved information sharing between health systems.
The two other eLearning courses, 'Introduction to AMT' and 'Introduction to SNOMED CT-AU', were developed in collaboration with National Clinical Terminology Service (NCTS) team to build digital health terminology capability. Designed for all levels of capability, these bite-sized courses are delivered in a clear, accessible way to provide foundational knowledge for what digital health terminologies are and their role in supporting safe, reliable and connected care.
The Australian Medicines Terminology (AMT) supports consistent and accurate medicines information across multiple clinical settings, systems and stages of care, and SNOMED CT-AU is a collection of medical terms and definitions used in clinical documentation and reporting across Australia. Both are essential for providing nationally consistent clinical terminology that supports better continuity of care and strengthened interoperability between digital health systems.
Enrol now:
If you have any questions about NCTS or clinical terminology, please contact the NCTS team at help@digitalhealth.gov.au
Become a Cyber Champion today!
“Every cyber champion is proof that cyber resilience is built from the ground up, and together we are shaping a stronger, safer healthcare sector”
Why become a Cyber Champion?
Australia's healthcare sector is facing ever-evolving cyber threats, and now more than ever, building a strong cyber security culture is vital. The Agency is helping to empower healthcare professionals to proactively understand and defend against cyber risks through the Cyber Champions Network.
What is the Cyber Champions Network?
The Cyber Champions Network is a community of healthcare professionals with the collective goal to foster a proactive, engaged, and security-conscious healthcare ecosystem. Together, members are strengthening Australia's collective cyber defences and enhancing the sector's ability to respond to emerging threats.
National uptake
Since its launch in August 2024, the program has achieved strong national engagement, with 175 participants from 124 healthcare organisations across Australia successfully completing the course. Participating organisations have deepened their understanding of cyber threats and significantly increased their resilience to cyber-attacks.
How does the program work?
Participants take part in five interactive fortnightly sessions, each running for 60-90 minutes. The program is designed to build positive cyber behaviours, including:
- understanding the cyber security threats and risks currently affecting Australian healthcare organisations
- learning best practice approaches to securing systems and information
- recognising that cyber security is everyone's responsibility, including understanding the impact of social media and digital footprints, as well as supply chain risk and vendor management
- building cyber resilience through the development of a cyber incident response plan and a cyber security awareness program.
In addition, Cyber Champions gain access to a wide range of ongoing resources and practical tools to uplift cyber awareness and foster a strong security culture within their organisations.
Participant feedback
“This program provided clear, up‑to‑date cybersecurity awareness tailored for small to medium allied health practices. It covered real‑world threats, practical prevention strategies, and effective response measures, empowering both management and staff to protect patient data and business operations. I highly recommend this training to all allied health clinics in primary health care. it's an invaluable step toward building a strong, organisation‑wide cybersecurity culture." — Board Director, Allied Health Network
Ready to join?
Participation in the Cyber Champions Program is free and catered for staff with no technical experience. Final program for 2026 will commence on:
- 27 October 2026
Don't miss this opportunity to become a leader in cybersecurity within your healthcare organisation. Take the next step to protect your organisation and join the Cyber Champions Network today!
Register your interest: Join the Cyber Champions Network
Learn more about cyber security?
Our Cyber Security Team monitors digital threats relevant to healthcare and issues timely alerts on vulnerabilities and cyberattacks. Stay informed by subscribing to Cyber Alerts.
Health Connect Australia Provider Directory
The Health Connect Australia Provider Directory (the Provider Directory) is a national service designed to support secure interactions between healthcare providers across the health system. It aims to enhance provider discoverability, facilitate connectivity across the healthcare ecosystem, and support the secure exchange of information between healthcare providers throughout Australia.
Recent legislative changes mean that information held in the Healthcare Identifiers (HI) Service will be automatically included in the Provider Directory and visible to other healthcare providers and healthcare organisations, unless a request for non-disclosure is made.
The information contained withing the Provider Directory can only be accessed by authorised entities in accordance with legislative and privacy requirements. It is not available to the public.
The Agency will operate the Provider Directory which is planned to pilot in the Northern Territory in Q4 of 2026, with national roll out commencing in Q2, 2027.
Health Connect Australia Provider Directory pilot achieves major milestone in the Northern Territory
The Agency is pleased to share a major milestone for the Health Connect Australia Provider Directory and Authorisation pilot in the Northern Territory. NT Health has completed its third milestone, publishing provider and service information to Provider Connect Australia (PCA) ahead of the Provider Directory pilot go-live.
Key Northern Territory health partners, AMSANT, NT Health and NT PHN, are all now registered as service partners in PCA, meaning health care organisations can now publish changes to their business information in PCA and notify all three of them at once.
With AMSANT, NT Health and NT PHN now registered in PCA, a connected and searchable directory of Territory health services is taking shape. A diverse group of pilot organisations have also been onboarded, including Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, general practices, specialist services and NT Health facilities. This work will make it easier for clinicians to find services, improve referrals and care coordination, and support better connected care for Territorians.
What does this mean for healthcare providers?
Information held in the national Healthcare Identifiers (HI) Service will be included in the Health Connect Australia Provider Directory, making it easier for authorised healthcare providers and organisations to find and connect with one another.
Healthcare providers are encouraged to review and update their information to ensure their most current information is available. You can update your details by contacting:
- Ahpra or your alternative professional body,
- the Healthcare Identifiers (HI) Service, or
- using Provider Connect Australia, Practitioner self-service (for individuals) or the Manage Businesses tile (for organisation).
Healthcare providers will have an opportunity to inform the Agency of their disclosure preferences in relation to their information, including requesting non-disclosure.
What does this mean for software vendors and digital health systems?
Software vendors and healthcare organisations are encouraged to begin planning for integration with the Health Connect Australia Provider Directory.
The Provider Directory FHIR® Implementation Guide and FHIR® API Specifications are available now on the Health Connect Australia | Digital Health Implementer Hub. Conformance requirements will be released for feedback in October.
Please note the following Healthcare Provider Directory webservices managed by Services Australia are scheduled to be retired in December 2027:
- TECH.SIS.HI.17 – Search for Individual Provider Directory Entry;
- TECH.SIS.HI.18 – Search for Organisation Provider Directory Entry; &
- TECH.SIS.HI.19 - Manage Provider Directory Entry
Questions?
Please contact the Health Connect Australia team at HealthConnect@digitalhealth.gov.au for further information or support regarding the Health Connect Australia Provider Directory.
Upcoming events
SNOMED CT EXPO 2026
Date: Wednesday 21 to Friday 23 October 2026
Location: Sydney, NSW
Don’t miss the SNOMED CT Expo 2026 – Where global healthcare terminology takes centre stage
Join digital health leaders, clinicians, researchers, policy makers and terminology experts from around the world at SNOMED CT Expo 2026, coming to Sydney, Australia.
This international event will explore how SNOMED CT is transforming healthcare through better data, stronger interoperability, safer clinical decision-making and improved patient outcomes.
Meet the speakers shaping the future of healthcare interoperability
Dr. Nor 'Ismat Kamis, Principal Assistant Director, Ministry of Health Malaysia
Discover how Malaysia is moving from SNOMED CT membership to a nationwide mandate, with a new national health data standards policy designed to drive interoperability, governance and sustainable implementation across public and private healthcare sectors.
Danielle Bancroft, Head of Product, Integrations & Interoperability, Telstra Health
Learn why meaningful healthcare data starts with strong medicines terminology. Danielle will explore how semantic foundations underpin connected care, AI-enabled workflows, safer prescribing and scalable digital health transformation.
Eric Daley, Senior Clinical Product Manager, College of American Pathologists (CAP)
See SNOMED CT in action through a real-world digital pathology workflow. Eric will demonstrate how terminology standards support cancer diagnosis, structured reporting, international collaboration and improved patient outcomes.
Christine Spisla, Director of Informatics, NANDA International (NANDA-I)
Explore how SNOMED CT and nursing terminology are helping create consistent, computable nursing documentation that strengthens clinical reasoning, interoperability, quality improvement and research.
Thomas Debertshäuser, Oncology Module Lead, Medical Informatics Initiative, Germany
Discover how German breast centres are using a SNOMED CT-native FHIR implementation guide to capture clinical data once and use it across multiple registries, reducing burden while improving data quality and interoperability.
Dr. Thomas Hambly, Director, Clinical Analytics & Health Informatics, Healthdirect Australia
Learn how Australia's national triage service is using SNOMED CT to classify illness presentations at scale, delivering richer analytics, enhanced service planning and new opportunities for population health insights.
What to expect
Whether you are implementing SNOMED CT, advancing digital health strategy, supporting clinical care or shaping the future of health information exchange, the Expo offers unparalleled opportunities to learn from international experts and connect with the global SNOMED CT community.
HL7 Connectathon Event
Date: Tuesday 8 – Thursday 10 December 2026
Location: Melbourne Connect, Parkville, VIC
Join Australia's leading digital health innovators at the HL7 Australia FHIR Connectathon 2026, a two-day collaborative event designed to accelerate healthcare interoperability and advance the adoption of HL7 FHIR® across the healthcare sector.
Bringing together developers, implementers, informaticians, researchers and digital health leaders, the Connectathon provides a unique opportunity to test FHIR-based solutions, validate implementation guides, and collaborate with peers tackling real-world interoperability challenges.
Why attend?
- Gain hands-on experience testing and refining FHIR implementations
- Collaborate with industry experts and national standards leaders
- Help shape the future of Australian interoperability standards
- Validate implementation guides and support their ongoing maturity
- Build valuable connections across the digital health community.
Whether you are developing APIs, implementing digital health solutions, designing data models, or leading interoperability initiatives, this event offers practical learning, networking, and the chance to contribute to Australia's connected healthcare future.
Supported by the Agency, the HL7 Australia Connectathons play a key role in driving interoperability, innovation and better health outcomes nationwide.
Places are limited, register now and be part of the community building the future of digital health in Australia.
Learning spotlight
The Agency hosts a range of resources to support healthcare providers and organisations that want to register for My Health Record.
Visit the Implementing My Health Record in your healthcare organisation webpage to discover how to establish policies, register your organisation, and access the system via conformant clinical software, the National Provider Portal (NPP) or hospital applications.
Alternatively, access the free eLearning course Registering your organisation for My Health Record to help you register, understand the participation obligations and prepare your organisation to access My Health Record.
A comprehensive checklist outlining the steps required to register a healthcare provider organisation for My Health Record is also available: My Health Record: Organisation Registration Checklist (PDF, 207.55 KB).
If you need help registering, contact us by phone: 1300 901 001 during business hours or email: help@digitalhealth.gov.au. You can also contact your local Primary Health Network for further support.
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Did you know ....
If you lose your electronic prescription token, it can be reissued.
You can contact your prescriber for original prescriptions or your pharmacy for repeat tokens.
This helps ensure continued access to your medicines without disruption.
Find out how to use the electronic prescription token to get your medicines.
Inside Digital Health
While Partnership Pulse keeps you up to date with our projects and programs, the Agency's Inside Digital Health newsletter on LinkedIn takes a wider view. It's all about innovations, global trends, and sector-wide updates, perfect for keeping up with the bigger digital health picture.