What do we mean by digital health?
Digital health is a broad term that includes:
• Health records being digital rather than paper-based
• Administrative tasks that happen online, such as booking, cancelling or rescheduling appointments
• Health care delivered digitally, for example via video or telehealth
• Systems that support information sharing, safety and coordination across health services
The WA Health EMR Program
WA Health is introducing a new Electronic Medical Record (EMR) across public hospitals and health services in Western Australia. This is the largest clinical and digital transformation WA Health has ever undertaken, and a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve and coordinate how care is delivered across the state. This is the biggest safety and quality improvement show in town!
What is an Electronic Medical Record (EMR)?
An Electronic Medical Record (EMR) is a secure digital system used by clinicians to record and access health information such as medications, allergies, test results, imaging, and clinical notes. In WA, the EMR will initially focus on public hospitals.
How is that different from My Health Record?
While they might sound similar, your My Health Record encompasses all aspects of your health care, from GP to hospital. An Electronic Medical Record usually refers to your health information within the walls of a hospital, or group of hospitals. It contains information relevant to your hospital admission, but doesn’t necessarily encompass your whole health history. My Health Record was put in place Australia-wide in 2019, with a record created for every Australia unless they opted out. You can find out more here.
How have consumers been involved?
In 2021 HCC co-designed an EMR Consumer Charter inspired by the Queensland Digital Health Charter. With a reference group and community discussions, the following charter was created. When the EMR Program was funded in 2023, HCC was funded to form an EMR Consumer Reference Group, inviting all the reference group members back and adding new members to the group. The Chair of the group is Pip Brennan, who has been co-located with the EMR Program one day per week. The EMR Consumer Charter has been tested in discussions with consumer and carer advocates, Aboriginal people, Culturally and Linguistically community members, people living with disability and those that care for them and more. From October 2025, WA Health employed a full-time Director Consumer Engagement, Rebecca Johnson, who has joined Pip Brennan and the EMR Consumer Reference Group for this next stage of development.
[Last updated 01/26]