Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services has backed the controversial My Health Record, saying its clinical benefits for indigenous Canberrans outweigh any risks of stigmatisation or privacy breaches.
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A digital My Health Record will be created by the government for all Australians this year unless they opt out by October 15.
It has created fears of privacy breaches and security risks with up to 900,000 health professionals having access to the system.
The government recently moved to clarify the legislation to exclude police or government agencies from having access without a warrant, in the face of growing concerns.
Chief executive of the Digital Health Agency Tim Kelsey was in town to spruik the benefits of My Health Record.
He said he was confident the number of opt outs would not exceed about 10 per cent of the population - similar to other schemes around the world.
"We're constantly listening and shaping as well go along in order to ensure that we provide everyone with multiple opportunities to learn about My Health Record and their option to opt out of it," he said.
CEO of Winnunga Julie Tongs said they had been long time supporters of My Health Record and early engagers and currently had about 2500 clients already signed up.
"It's such an important initiative particularly for our clients because they are often transient but also they've got very, very complex health issues, both psychological, mental and social issues, as well as cultural issues," she said.
"It just makes good sense for us.
"People gets sick of telling their story, and often it keeps traumatising people, especially vulnerable people."
Ms Tongs said Winnunga had never had serious concerns about the privacy risks of the record and supported the move to opt out.
"It hasn't stopped us in the past from being subpoenaed for medical records, that process continues as part of My Health Record," she said.
"People were concerned if centrelink got access or the police and we've been able to say 'no the legislation has been changed'.
"We're very aware of our vulnerable clients and they might want to opt in one day and opt out the next.
"We need to be able to manage that.
"At the end of the day it's going to have more benefits than anything else."
While health professionals will not have to get permission every time information is uploaded, the agency's chief medical adviser Professor Meredith Makeham said patients could control what stays in the record.
"I say to my patients, 'this could save your life'," she said.
"It will absolutely stop people dying avoidable deaths because we make mistakes. "
Mr Kelsey said there had never been a security breach of My Health Record.
"The level and privacy and security is actually quite a step up from the paper based system that we currently operate with," he said.
"We have a series of controls in which the consumer themselves can set and they are very sophisticated."
