The Australian Government’s Better and Faster Access reforms provide patients and clinicians with better access to pathology and diagnostic imaging results through My Health Record and the 1800MEDICARE app. This improves transparency, patient care and clinical decision-making.
Historically, not all test reports were uploaded to My Health Record, especially if multiple service providers were involved in a patient’s care.
Through the Better and Faster Access reforms, overseen by the Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA), more reports are being added to My Health Record, providing clinicians and patients with more comprehensive information, enabling more fully informed decision-making, improved continuity of care and clearer communication.
The most recent updates to the system – in place since March 2026 – speed up patient access to pathology reports like blood and urine tests, X-ray and other imaging results.
The previous seven-day delay has been removed for X-ray reports for limbs. They are now available as soon as they are uploaded by the diagnostic imaging provider.
Other X-rays, CT, MRI and PET scans, mammograms and ultrasounds are available to view after five days.
If there are multiple results in the same report, where different timeframes apply, the five-day access period applies. These changes provide faster access to critical patient information, helping practices deliver timely and informed care.
Why this matters for primary care
These changes support earlier clinical decision making, improved continuity of care and clearer communication between healthcare providers and patients. Faster access to results can help reduce delays to follow up and streamline care planning and support for safer, more person‑centred care.
NWMPHN is working with primary care in our catchment to build understanding of the Better and Faster Access reforms and what they mean in day‑to‑day practice.
This includes practical resources and guidance for practices and patients, such as these:
- Better and Faster Access overview & FAQs | ADHA
- Better and Faster Access guide for health care providers who request pathology and diagnostic imaging (.pdf) | ADHA
- My Health Record updates | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- Digital health | NWMPHN
- Your patient just asked ChatGPT about their results … now what? Navigating AI-informed patients and the new My Health Record landscape | NWMPHN webinar
Do you want to know more? Our Primary Care Improvement Team is here to help you. You can request a visit, call us on (03) 9347 1188 or email primarycare@nwmphn.org.au for further information and support.
