The ACT Government has today published the first Digital Health Record (DHR) Benefits Realisation Yearbook, which details how the system is delivering high-quality, person-centred care across the ACT public health system.
Since its launch in November 2022, the DHR has created a single, secure health record that enables doctors, nurses, midwives and allied health professionals in the ACT public health system to access patient information and deliver safer, more efficient and better coordinated care.
This yearbook includes a collection of case studies, patients and clinicians stories, and data from the past three years to highlight what is working well, as well as future focus areas.
Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith said the DHR has helped Canberrans feel more informed and confident throughout their health journey, with access to appointments, results and direct communication with health workers in one convenient place.
"The Digital Health Record has transformed clinical care across the ACT public health system, making it better connected, more efficient, accessible and transparent," Minister Stephen-Smith said.
"What we see in this report is that the Digital Health Record is more than an IT platform - it's a key to supporting our clinicians to deliver high-quality, person-centred care.
"Having a single, secure, integrated record for each patient supports our health workers to build a clearer picture of someone's health needs so they can deliver safer, more coordinated care, while also empowering Canberrans to be active partners throughout their health journey.
"Easy access to health information enables Canberrans to take an active role in their care with more informed questions, shared decision making, and more meaningful conversations with health workers—especially for those managing ongoing or complex health needs.
"It has supported the prevention of unnecessary blood draws, provided earlier alerts of potential adverse medicine reactions, improved the transparency of patient wait times at hospitals and walk‑in centres, and enabled better decision‑making and flow in our emergency departments."
Key highlights from the Digital Health Record Yearbook includes:
1. More than 271,000 people have an active MyDHR (the patient portal for DHR) account, with an average of 33,179 logins to the app per month.
2. Almost 90,000 unnecessary blood draws were avoided last year, sparing Canberrans discomfort and delays in their health care.
3. Over 826,000 results were sent directly to patients' MyDHR accounts within 24 hours of a test being taken. For outpatients, the same-day release rate was 85%.
4. Digital medication management and real‑time alerts prevented more than 270,000 potential errors, providing safer care and reducing preventable harm.
5. Almost 3.9 million secure messages were sent between doctors and care teams last year, to foster timely communication, care coordination, and faster decision‑making that can lead to earlier treatment.
6. More than 98% of public health staff have completed training to improve their digital confidence and skills using DHR.
7. Over 50 systems across our hospital and health centres have been consolidated into one single integrated platform as DHR continues to replace legacy systems.
As of November 2025, the DHR has been moving from implementation to continuous improvement, deeper integration and clearer measurement of benefits.
"The ACT Government is listening to feedback from health workers and Canberrans to continue to improve their experience and provide safer, more timely care at our hospitals, community health centres and walk-in centres," Minister Stephen-Smith said.
Digital Health Record Benefits Realisation Yearbook can be viewed at https://www.act.gov.au/open/digital-health-record-benefits-realisation-yearbook
Quotes attributable to ACT Chief Digital Officer and Interim Director-General of Digital Canberra, Bettina Konti:
"Only a few years ago, our health system relied on paper records, disconnected systems, and scanned PDFs stored in a central patient folder. Information was scattered, and staff often had to search across multiple systems to get a full picture of a patient's care.
"The Digital Health Record has transformed this. It has consolidated over 50 different systems across our public health system into one single integrated platform to support health workers to provide high-quality care for Canberrans.
"Modernising how we use and record clinical information through the Digital Health Record has reduced complexity, risk and administrative burden. Since the DHR went live, ICT incidents across the public health system have reduced by more than 60%, and the system has matured to a point where regular upgrades can be deployed in under 60 seconds with minimal, if any, noticeable impact on care.
"The Digital Health Record is proving to be reliable and accessible to support clinicians to deliver safer and timelier person-centred care. It will continue to evolve with the community and our health workers to strengthen trust, transparency and improve care for Canberrans when and where they need it."
Quotes attributable to Canberra Hospital Director of Pharmacy, Daniel Lalor:
"The introduction of the Digital Health Record has transformed pharmacy services. Having real-time visibility of clinical information is not only making our work easier, but also care safer, more consistent, and better coordinated across sites.
"The DHR has introduced new workflows that strengthen the continuity of care and support innovative models like the remote pharmacist service, which is now delivering tangible benefits for both staff and patients.
"This shift is reshaping how we work as a profession, empowering our teams to provide high-quality, patient-centred care in a more connected and sustainable way."
