The ACT government's new COVID-19 vaccine booking website had to be updated on Monday after a number of Canberrans struggled to sign up.
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The My Digital Health Record website was accelerated to let people book in for coronavirus vaccinations well ahead of its scheduled 2022-23 completion date.
The Monday launch coincided with over-50s being able to get the AstraZeneca vaccine either at a new COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Calvary Public Hospital Bruce, or at respiratory clinics.
It also coincided with people under-50 who had a specified medical condition being granted access to the Pfizer vaccine at Garran Surge Centre on Monday.
Those with an underlying health condition under-50 would have gotten the AstraZeneca vaccine before the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation recommended people under 50 get the Pfizer vaccine instead.
Eligible people were urged to book in through the new My Digital Health Record to get the jab on Monday - but they couldn't sign up to the website online if they hadn't visited an ACT public health facility using their current Medicare card.
The ACT government COVID-19 booking website initially stated that people who didn't have a Medicare card or who had never visited an ACT public health facility would have to call a vaccination booking line instead.
It was later updated to advise that also applied to people who had been issued a new card, and not attended a public health facility with it. Once they called the booking line and made an appointment to get a COVID-19 vaccine, they could then use the My Digital Health Record online system.
An ACT government spokeswoman confirmed "public health facility" referred to walk-in centres, community health centres, Canberra Hospital, Calvary Public Hospital, and some ACT government health programs.
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"We have heard reports of people experiencing issues when entering their Medicare card through [My Digital Health Record]," she said.
"To sign up to [My Digital Health Record] people will need to have previously visited an ACT public health facility and have an existing patient record that matches their Medicare number.
"We do not know how many people had issues registering [on Monday] morning but would encourage them to try again based on the above advice or to contact the phoneline if they have any other concerns."
The government spokeswoman said people had also struggled with the website My Digital Health Record because, when they were asked to enter their Medicare number, some weren't including their individual reference number as well as the 10 digits on top of the card.
The website was also updated to specify that people needed to do this.
ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith earlier said staff had tested the My Digital Health Record website.
Late last month, she said that initial access to My Digital Health Record would only include "COVID-19 vaccination activity", with the remaining functionality coming online when the Digital Health Record was fully implemented in late 2022.
"When the full Digital Health Record is implemented, the portal will provide direct patient access to information and help consumers to make appointments and manage their interaction with ACT government health services," she said.
The minister said the goal of the project was to "empower consumers to manage their own healthcare".
Canberrans over-50 could also get an AstraZeneca vaccine at their general practice from May 17, but the My Digital Health Record tool was only for the ACT government-run vaccination hubs at Calvary and the Garran Surge Centre.
While people over-50 could get the AstraZeneca vaccine at Calvary, eligible people under 50 could get the Pfizer vaccine at the Garran Surge Centre.
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