About digital health
The role of digital in health services, records and systems is on the rise. Initiatives span electronic health records, telehealth and virtual care platforms, mobile apps and wearable technologies.
These digital tools should aim to enhance healthcare accessibility and quality by empowering individuals to be active participants in their care by accessing and controlling their own health data.
Digital health solutions also have the potential to enable more efficient coordination, communication and data-driven decision making. However, as Australia pursues an increasingly digital healthcare landscape, it must address the unique needs and concerns of diverse LGBTIQ+ communities and ensure digital health tools do not further exacerbate health disparities.
Digital health and LGBTIQ+ people
Digital health technologies like electronic medical records and patient portals have the potential to offer new opportunities to improve healthcare access and quality for LGBTIQ+ people. However, their effective adoption within LGBTIQ+ communities hinges on addressing inequities in medical care and health systems stemming from discrimination and stigma.
Key concerns relate to:
- Privacy and Confidentiality Risks
- Representation and Inclusivity Issues
- Insufficient training of digital tool designers on LGBTIQ+ health needs
- Need for Community Involvement
When these concerns intersect with other marginalised identities related to race, income status, disability, etc., it can further compound access challenges.
LGBTIQ+ Health Australia’s work in this area aims to make sure LGBTIQ+ communities have the information they need to make informed decisions about their health and digital health tools. LGBTIQ+ Health Australia has also engaged with our member organisations and partners to help understand perspectives across communities to help shape digital health tools.
My Health Record — Getting started