Australia piloting myGov app and Trust Exchange for sharing medical data

The Australian government has launched a pilot of its myGov public services app and Services Australia’s Trust Exchange (TEx) proof-of-concept for visits to the doctor’s office.

The myGov app will be used to enable patients to share their personal information with a General Practice medical clinic in Brisbane, Queensland. In the future, the myGov app and the TEx will allow Australians to perform identity verification and share their credentials without handing over physical ID documents or sharing superfluous information, according to the announcement. In some cases, they will be able to access services without sharing any personal data at all.

“Protecting people’s data using the world-leading TEx, where no hard copies of information needs to be handed over, is akin to when Australians moved from using cheques to tap and pay — it’s revolutionary,” Minister for Government Services and the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill Shorten says.

“This new pilot sees Services Australia simply working with research participants to test a concept to register as a new patient at a medical centre, using the myGov app and government-issued cards.”

Shorten announced the TEx PoC, with an AU$11.4 million (US$7.3 million) budget, in August, as part of a strategy to win pubic trust. IDVerse GM for Global Risk and Compliance Paul Warren-Tape said in the aftermath of the announcement that the TEx framework is a good idea, but “far too vulnerable to document fraud” during the sign-up process.

The myGov app uses native device biometrics for log-in security, but registrations for myGov involve either the myID digital ID or one-time passcodes sent through email and text for identity verification. Users create a password and set up knowledge-based authentication (KBA) questions. Credentials like Centrelink benefits cards can then be linked to the account by entering information from identity documents.

Participants in the PoC use the myGov app, which is now up to 6 million users, to scan a QR code. This initiates the transaction, and the user then consents to share specific test information from a Medicare, DVA veterans’ card or Centrelink concession card with the medical center. The verified information is stored on a test device within the clinic.

Feedback from the test will be used to ensure the data sharing system is fit for purpose and easy to use, and also inform future solutions development. The government is surveying patient participants and medical staff about their experience sharing medical information through the myGov app.

The proof of concept test results will be presented to the Australian government in early 2025.

The government continues to encourage Australians to download the myGov app, posting a short video to Facebook to highlight simplified sign-ins, quicker service access and security of digital wallet storage among the advantages of the app.

Australia’s government is also running a test of verifiable credentials stored in a digital wallet for identity verification with Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

Article Topics

Australia  |  data privacy  |  digital government  |  digital ID  |  identity verification  |  myGov (Australia)  |  pilot project  |  selfie biometrics  |  Trust Exchange (TEx)