Digital Health Record

About MyDHR

MyDHR is a secure patient portal for the Digital Health Record. It allows you to view some of your health information from interactions within Canberra Health Services including public hospitals, walk-in centres and community health services

MyDHR shows health information collected from public health services since November 2022. It does not include information from private specialists and general practitioners.

The difference between MyDHR and My Health Record

MyDHR is different to My Health Record.

MyDHR is a patient portal linked to your Digital Health Record. It is used only within ACT public health services. It shows information about your care in Canberra Health Services, including:

Test results
Appointment information
After visit and discharge summaries
Medication history.

My Health Record is a national health record used by patients, doctors, hospitals and pharmacies across Australia.

It contains summary of your health information:

Vaccination records
Prescription records
Medicare claim history
Test results from private providers (if authorised by your doctor).

Why you should sign up

MyDHR makes it easier to be involved in your health care. You can see and manage your ACT public health information in one place.

Who can have a MyDHR Account

Anyone aged 14 years or over, who has been a patient of Canberra Health Services, can create a MyDHR account.

A parent or legal guardian may have access through proxy access to their child’s account until the young person turns 14.

Sign up and access MyDHR

You need to sign up before you can use MyDHR.

How to sign up

Sign up online using your full name, date of birth, Medicare number and email address.
Use an activation code to complete your registration.

If you need help, call 02 5124 5000. Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

How to access MyDHR

Download the MyDHR mobile app, or
Visit the MyDHR website.

Delete your MyDHR account

Signing up for MyDHR is optional. If you choose not to use MyDHR, you can still obtain a copy of your record.

You can delete your MyDHR account at any time.

To delete your account:

Log in to MyDHR and go to account settings to deactivate your account, or
Call us on 02 5124 500.

Proxy access

Only you or a chosen proxy can access your MyDHR account.

Proxy access is when a patient gives another person access to their MyDHR account. It allows parents, legal guardians and caregivers to support the patient with their health care needs.

If you’re set up as a proxy, you access the other person’s MyDHR account by signing in to your own MyDHR account. You don’t need a separate password.

You will need additional documentation if someone can't consent to give you proxy access.

Find out more about who can authorise proxy access [PDF 124 KB] and what you need to provide in different situations.

Request proxy access for a patient under 14 years

Log in to your MyDHR account.
Go to sharing.
Select MyDHR Proxy Access Form.

It may take up to 7 days to process your request.

Request proxy access for a patient over 14 years

complete the proxy consent form [PDF 251 KB]
email it with a copy of your photo ID to CHS.HIS@act.gov.au.
Log in to your MyDHR account.
Go to sharing hub.
Manage friend and family access.

Give another user proxy access

Log in to your MyDHR account.
Go to sharing hub.
Manage friend and family access.

Using MyDHR

Getting test results

You can get most of your test results in real time on MyDHR. Results from private pathology companies or tests requested by private clinicians (including general practitioners and specialists) are not shared with MyDHR.

You should always talk to your doctor about test results. Your doctor will explain:

what your results mean
whether you need further tests or treatment
what steps to take next.

Some test results are not available immediately on MyDHR. These include:

genetic test results
anatomical pathology (histopathology and cytopathology) results
some sexual health tests
some pathology tests
medical imaging reports.

Other tests may also be delayed or withheld if a doctor or pathologist has concerns about how the information might affect you. Your doctor will talk to you about these results with you when it’s appropriate.

Your doctor can also release ACT Pathology results that are on hold.

It's best not to interpret health results on your own. Misunderstanding them may cause you worry or lead to wrong decisions.

DHR Link is part of DHR. It helps share digital health records with your general practice.

It allows authorised staff at participating general practices to view your digital health record for the care you receive in the ACT public health system.

Authorised staff can only access your digital health record if you have provided written consent.

They can view your records but cannot edit or change them.

This helps them make informed decisions and better support your care.

Information general practices see

Staff at general practices can already see information of services they refer you to, such as test results or referrals. With DHR Link, authorised staff at your general practice can view health records in your DHR.

This may include:

medical and surgical history
current health conditions and medicines
obstetrics history
pathology and imaging reports
referrals
admissions and appointments.

Sharing your information with DHR Link

DHR Link helps you get safer and more connected care across the ACT public health system.

It means your care providers can access the information when they need it.

Having this information in one place:

helps avoid repeat tests
supports easy access and review of your records
helps your care start sooner
supports your care move smoothly between health services

Giving consent to share your digital health records

You control whether authorised staff at general practices can view your digital health records.

They cannot access your health records without your consent.

You can change your mind at any time by updating your consent.

There are three ways to give consent.

Option 1: Update your sharing preferences in MyDHR

If you have a MyDHR account:

open the MyDHR app or website
go to Menu
select Consent to share
update your preference.

Option 2: Talk to Canberra Health Services staff

When you visit any Canberra Health Services location:

ask staff to update your consent
sign a digital form consenting to share.

The form will be saved in your patient record.

Option 3: Complete the DHR Link consent form

You can download the DHR Link consent form [PDF 812 KB].

You can also ask for a DHR Link consent form at:

your general practice or
the Canberra Hospital or North Canberra Hospital.

Fill in the form and return it to your general practice or give it to hospital staff.

How to withdraw your consent

You can withdraw your consent at any time.

To withdraw your consent, you can:

update your preferences in the MyDHR app or website, or
contact Canberra Health Services team on 02 5124 2124 available from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.

Who's Accessed My Record

MyDHR lets you see who has accessed your Digital Health Record. This information is provided for transparency.

To view who's accessed your record:

Log in to MyDHR
Select the menu (three lines)
Go to the document centre
Select who's accessed my record

Under the clinical staff tab, you can see details of staff who have accessed your Digital Health Record, including:

the staff member's role
the date they accessed your record
their department.

If you are concerned about access to your record, email healthfeedback@act.gov.au. We will review and investigate your concern.

Other features in MyDHR

Share Everywhere

Share Everywhere lets you temporarily share parts of your health summary with a clinician outside your usual health service. You can choose to share information such as:

medications
allergies
health conditions
immunisation records.

This access is one‑time only and can be shared through any web browser. You control what is shared and when access ends.

Care Everywhere

Care Everywhere allows health information to be securely shared between healthcare organisations that use Epic systems.

Information is only shared with your consent.

Health information can be shared between ACT public health services and these hospitals in the Parkville precinct in Victoria:

Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne
Royal Melbourne Hospital
Royal Women's Hospital
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

Your privacy and security

MyDHR is a secure system. Your information in MyDHR is safe and protected.

MyDHR can be accessed in:

Australia
United States
United Kingdom
Canada
New Zealand.

Only patients and their nominated proxy can access MyDHR. They are verified through an activation process.

We will never email you asking for your password or login details.

The Digital Health Record follows federal and territory privacy and confidentiality laws. It has multiple security measures in place to protect your information.

To access MyDHR, you need:

a strong password
two-factor authentication sent only to you by email or SMS.

Two-factor authentication is enabled by default and helps protect your information and privacy.

Privacy policy and legal information

MyDHR website and mobile application

MyDHR is an online digital service. It is available through a website and mobile app. Digital Canberra manages MyDHR on behalf of Canberra Health Services and the ACT public health system.

MyDHR may contain sensitive information, including:

sexually transmitted and other communicable diseases
drug and alcohol use
mental health information.

We collect, store and manage this information under the Health Records (Privacy and Access) Act 1997.

DHR Link website

The ACT Health Digital Health Record (DHR) is an initiative of the ACT Government. It records all interactions between a person and ACT public health services.

DHR Link is a web portal that shares certain information from DHR with your treating team members who are external to ACT Health, Canberra Health Services and North Canberra Hospital. This may include treating team members such as your general practitioner.

Personal health information and personal information can be shared with your treating team in accordance with the Health Records (Privacy and Access) Act 1997. The types of information that may be shared include:

results such as pathology or medical imaging results
discharge summaries
other information that forms a part of your medical record.

Other than any other uses authorised by or under law, personal information and personal health information will not be shared by members or organisations that are not part of your treating team.

How we protect your personal information

We use strong security controls and safeguards to protect the privacy, security, integrity, and availability of your personal information.

Two-factor authentication is activated by default and is required to access MyDHR.
Your data is encrypted when it is transmitted and stored.
MyDHR data is stored in app-private storage and cannot be accessed by other app.
You get an in-app notification before data is shared from MyDHR. You can choose whether you want to share the data or not.
Screenshot functionality is turned off by default on Android devices. You can choose to enable the function.
iOS does not allow screenshots to be disabled.
Internal policies and processes limit staff access to the information they need to do their duties.
We follow strict data retention and disposal policies to ensure we store information about your use of MyDHR only as described in this policy.

Each healthcare organisation you connect with through MyDHR also uses similar safeguards to protect your information. You can contact them if you have any questions about their security policies.

How you can protect your information

Do not share your MyDHR username and password.

Change your password immediately if you believe someone has accessed your MyDHR account without consent.

Use the face ID or biometrics on your device used to access MyDHR.

Only use devices with their original security settings. Devices that bypass security features are less secure and may expose your sensitive information.

How we manage your personal information

We do not sell or license your information.

Below are the ways we use your information in MyDHR.

Profile photos

If you add a photo to your MyDHR profile:

it is displayed within the app to help identify your account
if you choose an existing photo, a copy is stored in app-private storage on your device
if you take a new photo, it is saved to your camera app and to app-private storage
the copy stored in the app is deleted if you remove or change your profile photo, or delete your MyDHR account
any photo saved in your camera app remains there until you delete it.

If your healthcare provider adds a photo to your profile on the Digital Health Record, this is not visible in MyDHR.

Viewing documents

When you access documents (such as letters or images) using MyDHR, we store temporary copies in the app‑private storage so you can view them. These copies are deleted when you close your session.

Sending photos or videos

If you use MyDHR to send a photo or video in a message to your healthcare provider:

you can upload an existing photo or video from your device, or create a new one
photos and videos you create are saved to your device's camera app
photos and videos saved to your device remain there until you delete them.

Telehealth appointments

If you attend a telehealth appointment using MyDHR at an appointment with Canberra Health Services:

MyDHR asks for access to your camera and microphone to support the appointment
MyDHR does not record or store audio or video from the appointment. When you attend a telehealth appointment:
We ask for access to your camera and microphone to support the telehealth visit.
We do not record or store audio or video from these visits.

Automatic appointment arrival

Some areas of Canberra Health Services offer automatic appointment check‑in.

If you use automatic appointment check-in, MyDHR temporarily stores identifiers and appointment times in app-private storage on your device to detect when you arrive for your appointment.

If you turn off automatic check-in or stop using MyDHR, this information is deleted.

Location services

If you choose to use location services in MyDHR, you will need to allow the app to access your device's location. MyDHR uses your location to support services such as appointment check-in at ACT public health facilities and finding nearby healthcare providers.

MyDHR does not store your location data.

Bluetooth services

If you choose to use Bluetooth-enabled appointment check-in at ACT public health facilities, you will need to turn on Bluetooth on your device. MyDHR uses Bluetooth to help identify when you have arrived for your appointment and notify front desk staff.

MyDHR does not store Bluetooth information from your device.

Usage information

We collect non‑identifying data to understand MyDHR usage and improve user experience. This includes:

when and how long you use the app
healthcare services you access and organisations you contact
error messages or codes
your device type and operating system
your MyDHR version.

If you use an Android device, we also collect information about your connection type (Wi‑Fi or mobile) to help diagnose technical issues.

If you contact us, we may keep a record of the interaction. You can choose how much information you want to share during the interaction.

MyDHR connects to healthcare providers using Epic records management software. Digital Canberra follows the Information Privacy Act 2014 when it collects, uses and shares personal information through MyDHR.

Information provided to Google Play

Google requires MyDHR to follow its COVID-19 app requirements. As a result, we are required to provide the following information to make MyDHR app available in the Play Store.

MyDHR uses your device microphone only if you choose to use voice navigation.

MyDHR accesses your camera roll only if you choose to add a profile photo.

This access is not linked to COVID‑19.

MyDHR accesses, collects, uses, and shares information such as video, audio, images, and files. We explain what we collect, why we collect it, and ask for your consent when you use the app.

MyDHR app was not created for COVID‑19. It existed before the pandemic to help you access your health information from your healthcare provider. Your provider may also let you view COVID‑19 records, such as vaccinations or test results.

You choose if and how you access or use this information, just like other conditions, services, tests, or vaccinations.

MyDHR can be used for telehealth appointments.

MyDHR only provides the technical support for these appointments.

We do not access, record, or store any health information shared during telehealth appointments.

Privacy policy

Scope

This statement applies to the following Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government websites and online facilities:

MyDHR webpage
MyDHR mobile app
DHR Link

Information we collect

When you visit our websites, our system records your visit. We use this information to understand how people use our websites and to improve our services.

The information we collect includes:

your Internet Protocol (IP) address. This is a unique number that identifies computers, phones and other devices over the internet. Our website needs the IP address to communicate with your device and give you access to the requested pages.
top level domain name. For example, act.gov.au is a top-level domain name
type of browser and operating system you use
date and time of your visit
previous site visited
pages your device accesses
time spent on individual pages and the whole site
files downloaded by your device
keywords used to search the site.

Emails and online forms

When you send us an email or use an online form to report an issue with MyDHR, we may record your email address.

We may record additional personal information when you complete an online form. You may need to complete an online form to use some website features or to subscribe to some newsletters.

This information may include your:

name
valid email address
specific username.

We only use information collected through online form for the purpose we requested it.

Personal information

Personal information is data that can identify you.

Our website doesn't automatically collect any personal information. We only collect your information when you choose to share it.

We will only ask for personal information when you:

sending us an enquiry or feedback
making a booking
take part in a survey
make a payment or do any other transaction
create an account
sign up for updates or subscriptions
provide health information to assist in your care.

How we use your personal information

We'll only use your personal information for the purpose for which it was collected. When we collect your personal information, we'll tell you:

why we need it
how we'll use it

For example, we may use your contact details to:

respond to issues you raise about our services
contact another government agency or organisation on your behalf, such as Canberra Health Services or North Canberra Hospital.

MyDHR uses your information to enable features such as telehealth, video appointments or mobile check-in for appointments.

The first time you try to use any of these features, we will ask for your consent to use your information. The app will allow you to use any of these features only if you consent.

Your consent is optional. You do not have to provide consent if you do not want to allow MyDHR to interact with your data.

Software system

We work with Epic Systems Corporation to implement the Digital Health Record across the ACT public health system.

Epic is a US–based health technology company with more than 40 years’ experience in digital health records. Their software is used in hospitals worldwide.

To learn more about how EPIC may access and use your information in MyDHR, please see Epic’s Mobile Application Privacy Policy for Patients.

Storage and security

We use strong security measures across all our systems and processes to protect your information.

These measures include:

secure login using unique user credentials
role‑based access controls (including proxy access)
encryption of information in transit and at rest
logging and monitoring to detect unauthorised access
regular system updates and security testing and auditing.

These measures help protect your information during transmission and keep it safe from loss, misuse, or unauthorised alteration.

How to access and correct your personal information

We take steps to correct your personal information when needed. This helps make sure your information is:

accurate
up to date
complete
relevant
not misleading
fit for purpose.

You have the right to ask for access to your personal information that we hold about you. If you contact us, we’ll verify your identity before we:

grant access to your personal information
make any correction to the existing information.

You can request a copy of your records through MyDHR:

Login to MyDHR
Click menu
Sharing hub
Yourself
Request a formal copy
And complete the form
You will be notified when your record is ready for downloading.

You can also request a copy of your records in My Health Record.

You might be charged a fee to access your records. We take reasonable steps to correct your information. This is subject to any legal limits that apply to collect or amend documents.

For amendments to clinical documentation, email health.feedback@act.gov.au or call 02 5124 5932

For amendments to personal information, email CHS.HIS.registry@act.gov.au or call 02 5124 2124

If you believe that your personal information is being used for a purpose other than the one for which it was collected, you can contact Access Canberra on 13 22 81.

We take reasonable steps to verify your identity before giving you access to your personal information or making any corrections.

Website analytics and cookies

Analytics

We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google Inc. (Google).

Google Analytics uses cookies and JavaScript code to help us understand how people use our website. Google uses this information to generate reports on website activity. They may use these reports to provide other services relating to website activity and internet usage.

Google does not collect personal information.

By using our websites, you agree to this use of data by Google.

Cookies

Cookies are small files stored by your browser on your device. These files help us to understand how people use our website and how we can make improvements. The information collected is used to create reports. These reports:

only show summary information about website usage
do not identify individual users
do not include personal information.

These reports may include information about:

pages viewed
files downloaded
completion of online forms
subscriptions.

Contact us

Call us on 02 5124 5000 if you need help or more information about MyDHR.