Welcome! We are excited to offer the Patient Portal for online access to your “chart.” In order to help you make the most of your portal, below are a few tips and information.
The Patient Portal is secure online access to your “chart” in our office. You provide an email address, and we give you a username and password to login. Whenever something is posted to your portal, like results, or a message, you will receive a simple email prompting you to go check your portal. No health information is relayed in this email. You must have a username and password to access the site.
Use the patient portal specifically for the person/patient you have a question or request on. These messages are entered directly into the patient’s chart, so it is important that a parent not use their own portal for a question on a child, or vice versa. You can sign up your whole family under one email address for notification, but then each family member will need to have their username and password. Parents will have access to change their children’s passwords unless specifically requested to remain private by the child. Confidentiality is important, and any patient has the right to keep their health information private, even from parents.
If you would like a video demonstration from another practice using the portal, please gotohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqf2vWCQhHQ
Who knows my password? Only you know your password after you change your temporary password. Our system does not keep passwords listed except for the brief second we enter your temporary for you. It is then instantly erased. If you forget your temporary password, we have to generate a new temporary password for you. You can change your password as much as you would like, but we do not have records of it. If you forget your password, you can create a new one online or call us and we can enter a new temporary password for you.
Locked Out: If you try a wrong username or password too many times, it will “Lock” your portal. You must call us to unlock your portal and provide a new temporary password.
Labs/Imaging: Your doctor will review your labs and imaging tests and allow them to be viewed on the portal. An automatic message will be emailed to you at night if you had results posted that day, prompting you to login to your portal. If you have a procedure done in the office, like a flu screen, a urine test, or an EKG, then those results will also be posted and you will get a notice. In some cases, it may be delayed, but it is usually posted the same day it is done for an in-office test. For bloodwork we send out to the labs, it can take from 1 day to 2 weeks or more, depending on how long the lab takes. We generally review them from the lab within 24 hours and they are instantly posted to the portal.
The Lab/Imaging section is set up such that the tests will be listed, and then the basic results displayed. Sometimes this will be difficult to understand in “doctor talk” because this is how we interpret your results. For easier terms, simply click on the specific lab for more detailed information and notes to you from your doctor. If you have a question about an abnormal lab, go to our homepage and choose the link for Understanding Your Lab Results. There are two reference sites that explain labs, what normal values are, and why sometimes an abnormal value is not that important.
Sometimes the results will say “See Scanned.” This means that your results were scanned into your chart and the image is not available through the portal. Hopefully, in the future you will see exactly what we see, like the actual radiology report or scanned EKG. But for now, it is simply the order with the results entered in, or the message to see the scanned document for the final reading.
Messages: If your doctor or nurse sends you a message through the portal, the message notification email is immediately sent to you prompting you to login and see what we sent you. If you send a message in through the portal, it goes to the doctor on call at that time and will be forwarded to your doctor. This is preferred over calling in for many reasons.
Referrals: You can see your list of doctors we have referred you to. Our staff tries to keep this list updated and have your appointment date and time on there if we know it. If you have a referral listed and the appointment date is incorrect, please notify us to update your referral. We try to track referrals to make sure we receive reports from the specialists we send you to.
Diagnosis Codes: You may see a diagnosis that you don’t agree with listed on your chart or in a test. We need reasons for ordering tests. Sometimes suspicion of a problem is used as the “diagnosis code” in order to get the test covered by your insurance company. So, your Xray test may say Assessment “Esophageal Reflux,” but you don’t think you have that condition. Don’t be alarmed- it does not mean that you have been diagnosed with that. If your doctor thought you had it, it can be used as a reason to get the test done.
Appointment Reminders: Up to three days in advance, you will receive an email notice reminding you about your upcoming appointment. If this is inaccurate, or you need to change your appointment, please send us a message.
Alerts: We have a way in our system to flag patients when we think they are due for something. Mammograms yearly, Pneumonia shot when you turn 65, Colonoscopy every 10 years, etc. So, if you see an alert, it simply means we think you may be due to have this checked. Send us a message asking your doctor to review your chart and determine if you are due for this test.
Statements: You can view your current and past statements that have been sent out. If you have a statement listed, it does not get updated after you pay your bill. You will simply not receive another statement for that visit/amount. If you do receive a statement again after paying your bill, please make sure it is not for a more recent visit. So, if you see a statement, and pay your bill, the statement will stay listed. Hopefully, in the future this will be a snapshot of your account showing up-to-date billing information. Upon seeing your statement, you can go to our homepage and pay your bill securely online with a credit card. We will update your account in the office and no further statements will be posted until a new balance occurs.