The government agency running My Health Record is refusing to release five reports on whether the system is improving clinical care, saying interested parties will have to submit a Freedom of Information request to read them.

Questions about the future benefit of the multibillion-dollar system were addressed by the Australian National Audit Office, which last month said the system’s implementation was on track to reduce duplication of tests and adverse drug events as well as saving doctors time on chasing up patient information.

However the difficulties in accessing robust evidence that it is making a significant difference to clinical care has fueled clinical disillusionment with a system that has now been running for seven years.

The Audit Office referred to five studies commissioned by the Australian Digital Health Agency that had been completed between July 2018 and January 2019.