Immunisation register live and My Health Record updated

eHealthNews.nz: National Systems & Strategy

Immunisation register live and My Health Record updated

Wednesday, 31 January 2024

Share |

NEWS - eHealthNews.nz editor Rebecca McBeth

Nearly 400,000 immunisation events have been created in the Aotearoa Immunisation Register (AIR) since it went live on 4 December 2023.

Te Whatu Ora has also released functionality on My Health Record to allow people to check their own and their children’s immunisation records dating back to 2005.

Data has been migrated from the old National Immunisation Register into the AIR, which is now connected to GP and third-party systems and covers 55 vaccines that can be given in New Zealand.

Immunisation events include vaccines given, updates to records and all those who choose to decline a vaccination.

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month.

Vaccination providers have access to the AIR either via their Patient Management System (PMS) or the AIR Vaccinator Portal. There are more than 1400 providers and 7500 users that do not have a PMS, but who can now use the portal to record vaccinations.

Loren Shand, group manager – design and channels, Te Whatu Ora, said at a recent stakeholder hui that the portal breaks down digital inequities by providing access to new providers.

She said the new system aims to take the best of both worlds from the National Immunisation Register, which was working heavily in the GP sector, and the modern COVID Immunisation Register, which was a fully centralised system.

The My Health Record app also builds on the technology developed for Covid-19 by re-using and redeveloping the existing My Covid Record platform, and this will evolve in 2024.

Shand said, “we will expand into looking at medicines, entitlements, lab results, allergies and care plans.

“This will enable consumers to feel empowered about their decision making and have information available to them.”

Alana Ewe-Snow, Te Whatu Ora director prevention, says feedback from users on the AIR go-live has been positive overall.

“The AIR enables vaccination providers to take a whole of whānau approach to vaccination delivery,” said Ewe-Snow.

“Our new vaccinator portal enables greater flexibility in vaccine delivery, providing the ability to set up mobile sites and support vaccination providers in delivering vaccinations in community settings.”

The 3.5 million people who set up a My Health Account to use My Covid Record can now use their My Health Account login to use My Health Record. Others can sign up at my.health.nz.