Learn to Use Your Patient Portal

What is a patient portal?  Most doctors and hospital facilities are moving to electronic medical records which puts all your information on-line and accessible to you.  Doctors are still learning the systems but they are a great way for you to stay informed.

• The features I have found most helpful are:
• Up to date lab results are posted for your viewing without waiting for a doctor or nurse to pick up the phone and call you. I have used this feature multiple times when traveling so I’m not constantly waiting for test results. The portal I use even tells me what time the test results will post.
• The ability to schedule appointments or cancel them without making a call. 
• Random appointments appear which tip you off to an upcoming lab and/or test the doctor has ordered prior to your arrival.
• The best feature you have is direct communication to your doctor. Yes you heard that right – you can email directly to the doctor and in many cases SEE when someone on the staff opens the email. Just this week I emailed a doctor regarding a new appointment. I simply asked him to review all of our records prior to the appointment to determine IF he needed to see our daughter. Within 24 hours he agreed he did NOT need to see us and canceled the appointment. This alone saved us almost $600, several hours of time and potentially more expensive tests.
• Prescription Refills – you can get your RX refilled through a patient portal – assuming your doctor doesn't need to see you.

The negatives to the system in my opinion are:

• Each medical practice and/or hospital system have their own portals therefore you must retrieve access, set up a user name and password and log in to gather the information you need. These systems do not currently speak to one another which creates a nightmare for you as the patient or care giver.
• Currently I am not able to email more than one doctor at a time. If I could copy multiple doctors it would increase the communication between our doctors to find answers to our case. Instead I email each doctor updates regarding appointments with additional doctors. This has increased the communication between the doctors in my opinion.
• Attachments to the portal are not allowed. If I need to send documents, pictures or video to my doctor I have to obtain an email address in order to do that. Many times the doctors have requested these things from me.
• Be aware! Email communication, appointments and sent items can be removed from your patient portal. If you need a copy of anything in your portal be sure to copy and paste it for your records.

Patient Portals and Electronic Medical Records are our future – but keeping your own hard copies is the only way to have the information at your fingertips when you need it! The hospitals have the control when you expect them to keep the information for you. My recommendation would be for you to take back the ownership of your records and have them in your hands with My Care Case.

*Information shared is based on our experience and personal to us.