Could greater use of digital IDs help GPs?

Perhaps you already use a ‘verifiable credential’ but never knew the technical name.
 
Defined as ‘a digital representation of a traditional credential that is stored on your device and can be independently verified through cryptographic methods’, verifiable credentials (VCs) are already in circulation.
 
Digital drivers’ licences are one example that already exist in several states. Passports are another possibility.
 
But how far should VCs be adopted, what difference can they make, and what should the regulatory and legislative settings be?
 
For example, could a version of the digital Medicare cards, launched more than three years ago on the myGov app, one day be all you need to register at a general practice?
 
These are questions officials at the Federal Finance Department are grappling with, as they consider the power of VCs to increase productivity, and cut compliance and fraud risks.
 
It recently closed consultation on two discussion papers looking at the potential of VCs and policy positions for developing a ‘trust framework’ to set out who can participate, standards, and how privacy and security can be upheld.
 
‘Importantly, VCs are a relatively new and emerging technology,’ one paper explains.
 
‘Significant evolution and change are likely to come in the near to medium term before best practices (including in relation to technology) are established.’
 
A RACGP submission in response has set out the possible benefits and harms to general practice.
 
Noting strong support for ‘a security-first approach to the design and implementation of VCs’, the college highlights their potential to make a fundamental difference to red tape – particularly if the Australian Health Practitioners Regulatory Authority (AHPRA), Medicare, and Services Australia can verify GP credentials in real time.
 
‘VCs have the potential to transform provider identity and authorisation management,’ the RACGP submission states.
 
‘GPs are frequently required to demonstrate their identity, AHPRA registration status, prescribing authority and eligibility to access government services.
 
‘Verifiable credentials could enable these attributes to be validated in real time, reducing administrative burden and supporting more seamless access to systems such as PRODA.’
 
However, the college warns that in ‘healthcare settings, any failure in identity systems can have direct clinical consequences’.
 
‘Patient safety, privacy and data security must be central considerations,’ the submission states.
 
It stresses the importance of interoperability and equitable access, including the RACGP’s support for the principle that use of VCs should be voluntary with ‘non-digital pathways’ kept for patients who are digitally excluded or vulnerable.
 
The submission also highlights the need for VCs to work within the RACGP Standards for General Practices, which stipulate that digital Medicare cards can be used as a secondary identifier but not standalone.
 
‘VC implementation must support, not replace or conflict with, these established safe identification practices,’ the submission states.
 
However, it does note a potential benefit in cutting the need to store copies of identification.
 
‘More broadly, VCs offer a significant opportunity to strengthen privacy through selective disclosure,’ the college said.
 
‘Rather than requiring patients to present an entire document containing information that is not relevant to the transaction, a VC could enable an individual to prove a specific attribute – such as Medicare eligibility, concession status, age eligibility, or another entitlement – without disclosing additional personal information.
 
‘This data-minimisation approach reduces the amount of sensitive information collected, handled, and potentially exposed by healthcare providers, while still providing confidence in the validity of the claim being made.’
 
The consultation on VCs was broad, but the college argues healthcare and general practice should be ‘recognised as a priority sector’, with an emphasis on ‘nationally interoperable VC approaches that integrate with existing healthcare systems and minimise fragmentation, duplication and administrative burden’.
 
It says early consideration of healthcare use cases will help ensure ‘the VC ecosystem is fit-for-purpose in healthcare environments’.
 
According to the RACGP, any future developments affecting general practices should include consultation, transition support, training and resourcing ‘to avoid unintended workflow disruption and increased administrative burden’.
 
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