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Caution and Consultation Needed on Medical Aspects of Access Card

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said today that the AMA is in broad agreement with the recommendations of the Consumer and Privacy Taskforce on the voluntary medical and emergency data components of the proposed Access Card.

Dr Capolingua said the AMA acknowledges the potential benefits of the Access Card but urges caution and further consultation to ensure the upcoming exposure draft of the Access Card legislation addresses community and professional concerns.

"The Access Card promises practical advantages to the medical profession, but when dealing with life and death situations we must ensure that any health-related information on the Card is correct and easily accessible," Dr Capolingua said.

"If doctors treating accident victims or emergency patients could obtain reliable health information about a patient from the Card, particularly when the patient is unconscious, it would be a huge advance.

"But the information would need to be 100 per cent accurate.

"To get it absolutely right there has to be much more consultation and planning.

"For the Access Card to be useful in medical situations, the voluntary emergency information must be part of the package - otherwise the Card would be no improvement on a patient's wallet or handbag.

"Until we get the medical component of the Access Card fixed, patients should be asking their GPs if their existing health condition or medication makes them eligible for the current MedicAlert system for emergencies."

Dr Capolingua said the AMA is pleased that there is growing support for the possible future link of electronic health records with the Access Card, provided there is an open consultative process and supporting legislation.

"We look forward to working with Government to maximise the potential health benefits of the Access Card," Dr Capolingua said.

The AMA is still working through issues around privacy and Access Card age eligibility with Government.

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