Who Holds the Record · country brief · data as of 2026-10-02Who holds the health record in Australia?
In 2026, Australia scores 66 of 100 on a person's right to see, control and share their own health record: rank 6= of 65 countries, in the Strong band (65 to 84). Who holds the keys: Shared. Source: Who Holds the Record, SuperTruth, data as of 2026-10-02.
Australia's opt-out national record holds over 25 million records patients can lock and audit, and test results now upload to it by default.
Published · updated · data as of 2026-10-02 · research tool, not legal advice
Can I get my health records in Australia?
Access to the full record scores 70 of 100 in Australia, against a median of 62 across 65 countries. My Health Record held 25.16 million records in July 2026, and from 1 July 2026 pathology and imaging reports must be uploaded by default. It is a summary, not the full chart, and copies from providers may carry a fee.
Can I control who sees my health record in Australia?
Control and consent scores 68 of 100 in Australia, against a median of 52 across 65 countries. People can cancel the record, lock it or single documents with access codes, stop uploads, and read an access log with alerts. But the default lets every treating provider see everything, and only about 72,000 people use advanced access controls.
Eight rights, against New Zealand and the EU
| Patient access to the full record20% | 70 | 55 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patient control and consent20% | 68 | 47 | |
| Privacy and security15% | 62 | 50 | |
| Connected care journey15% | 70 | 40 | |
| Protection from commercial use10% | 65 | 52 | |
| Clinician access at the point of care10% | 66 | 40 | |
| Research and trial consent5% | 50 | 50 | |
| Clinical AI governance5% | 55 | 40 |
Black dot: Australia. Hollow dots: New Zealand (scores on the right, same order). Grey line: median of all 65 countries. Dashed teal line: EU median. Overall: Australia 66, EU median 61. Scores move in steps of about 5; gaps of 4 or less are ties.
What would Australia need to change to score higher?
Australia sits in Strong (65 to 84); Leading starts at 85. The two rights furthest below the 65-country median, weighted, are research and trial consent (50, median 49) and clinical AI governance (55, median 50). The published rubric reads:
- Research and trial consent: A general opt-out that is honoured, or dynamic or opt-in consent, with a public register of research uses: 55 to 85.
- Clinical AI governance: Device regulation of clinical AI with change control and human oversight in force, plus national rules where EU law leaves gaps.
Which laws give health record rights in Australia?
- My Health Records Act 2012 (2012): Opt-out national record; access controls, cancellation, insurance and employment bans, court order for agency access.
- Health Legislation Amendment (Modernising My Health Record, Sharing by Default) Act 2025 (2025): Requires prescribed providers to share key information to My Health Record by default.
- Privacy Act 1988 (1988): Health data is sensitive information; right of access (APP 12), breach notification, civil penalties.
Strain and split context, not scored
- Doctors per 10,000
- 42.3 2023 · OECD 14 of 38
- Nurses and midwives per 10,000
- 144 2024 · OECD 5 of 38
- Private insurance + out-of-pocket
- 25.8% 2023 · OECD 15 of 35
- Record reaches private care?
- partial
Compulsory private insurance, counted separately: 1.1% of health spending (2023).
"This Act was passed on 14 February 2025 to mandate that key health information - starting with pathology and diagnostic imaging reports - be automatically shared to My Health Record. The range of clinical documents will be added incrementally over time."
Published stories
- 2026-08-14 · ABC News AI note-taker put a false statement into a patient's specialist letter
- 2026-07-22 · ABC News Another woman's hospital history merged into a patient's record; family told she died
Questions, corrections or a briefing: supertruth.ai/on-the-record#contact · Full index: whoholds.supertruth.ai