Public Key Infrastructure

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a set of procedures and technology that provides security and confidentiality for electronic business.

Contact
eBusiness Service Centre

Phone
1800 700 199

Email
pki@medicareaustralia.gov.au

What is PKI and why do we need it?

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a set of procedures and technology that provides security and confidentiality for electronic business.

Public Key Infrastructure, commonly referred to as PKI is an Information Technology (IT) infrastructure that enables the secure exchange of data. Therefore, PKI is a set of not only software tools, but hardware, network services and management techniques (policy and procedures) that work together to provide a web of "trust".

Medicare Australia's PKI is based on the Australian Gatekeeper framework and conformed to the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO): Health Informatics - Public Key Infrastructure technical specification (ISO/TS 17090).

PKI has been adopted by the Australian Government to provide a robust system of security for online health transactions.

For Medicare Australia programs, the administration process of Medicare Australia's PKI is the responsibility of Medicare Australia.

PKI, HPOS and you

Health Professional Online Services (HPOS) will allow practice staff who have a PKI individual certificate to undertake administrative tasks on behalf of health professionals. 

To find out more about HPOS and services available with a PKI logon go to HPOS logon.

What are the benefits of using PKI?

PKI enables users to know:

• who sent the message (authentication)
• the message content has not been altered in any way between sending and receiving (integrity)
• the sender cannot at some later stage dispute they created and sent the message (non-repudiation), and
• that only the person the message is directed to can open it (confidentiality)

Why is Medicare Australia using PKI?

Medicare Australia is committed to providing it's customers and stakeholders with a range of options for accessing our services, including online access. Our concern is to ensure that offering our services online will in no way diminish the security, confidentiality and trust that our customers currently have.

Medicare Australia is working with software providers to ensure all electronic business applications available to Australian health professionals in the future incorporate PKI.

PKI Information Pack

The Medicare Australia has produced an information pack containing an overview of the PKI system, the eCertificates's role, as well as detailed information on digital certificates and secure tokens.

For free copy of the pack, please call 1800 700 199 and select option 3.

eCertificates

eCertificates is the section responsible for PKI registrations in the health sector. Health professionals who are interested in using PKI-enabled Medicare Australia services will need to get their PKI certificates through eCertificates.

eCertificates receives and processes applications for Australian health sector professionals and organisations, authenticates their identity, and arranges issuance of digital certificates.

If you have any questions or comments or you would just like more information about eCertificates, please contact eCertificates at:

Operations Manager
eCertificates
Locked Bag 6666
TUGGERANONG ACT 2901

Telephone: 1800 700 199 and select option 3
Fax: (02) 1300 134 590
Email: registration@medicareaustralia.gov.au

Healthcare public directory

The healthcare public directory lets you download other subscribers' certificates and check the certificate revocation list.

You can search using either the email address or the name of the subscriber you are looking for.

More information about the directory is available in your certificate policy or on the Certificates Australia website.

Electronic Referrals and Requests

With the introduction of the Electronic Transactions Act 1999 and as part of the Government's Online Strategy, Medicare Australia is now able to provide the IT standards that Medicare Australia requires for electronic transmission, scanning and storage of Referrals to specialists/consultant physicians and Requests for pathology and diagnostic imaging services. If you would like to transmit, scan and/or store Referrals or Requests electronically, please refer to the following Medicare Australia IT standards.

• Notice of Information Technology (IT) Requirements under the Electronic Transactions Act [PDF, 45Kb]
• Notice of Information Technology Standards under the Electronic Transactions Act 1999 for Electronic and Paper [PDF, 39Kb]

If you have any questions please contact the eBusiness Service Centre on 1800 700 199

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Last updated: 4 December, 2009