The Patient Portal—Help or Hindrance?

I like being able to go into my Patient Portal and see my results and appointments. I have memory loss and it is very helpful to me, in case I forget an appointment or a test result.

I need to take my time and read everything that was done to me and view my discharge papers.
In no instance were the reports harmful to me as it also comes with the doctor’s instructions and explanations and not the actual cat scan or x-Ray results prior to the doctor seeing the results. It was all after-the-fact reporting that did include the synopsis of my stay. Because I read it, even though he told me before I went to the portal, I had been able to go through it at my pace and it was all truthful and I made an appointment to see my cardiovascular surgeon and got one in two days. I have 4 hospital’s linked together so were all on the same page.

I too have 4 hospitals linked together by using the “MyChart “ app. This app is used by many hospitals and Clinics and Labs and all the hospitals have a notice that I have this app because all of them use that app as their app to send me a copy of my prescriptions list, diagnoses, discharge instructions and an explanation of what they found and every test results with a narrative o my entire stay, along with what meds they gave me etc..
It can be downloaded from the App Store or the android play store.

Thanks, I just put my husband and myself in the Mychart on my phone. Had it on the home computer but the phone is always with me so it is more convenient.

Hi there - I have a question
I have linked Mayo and one provider network on the Mayo site so each shows the other's activity.
However, it sounds like you downloaded MyChart app on your phone and then that likes to each provider network. Is that correct? I have another provider network that is not allowing me to connect directly to with the others. Also small specialist groups have very primitive Internet sites for patients. Have you been able to link those sites with MyChart App???

Small primitive groups don’t always use MyChart. You need to download the app and follow the instructions.
You can name Mayo as one Hospital/clinic and a list pops up of other organizations you can add.
In the end (and you can add as many as you want like CVS as well. Once all organizations are are added. You will scroll down to Mayo ( for example) in menus.
Everything you need to know from Mayo is listed. If it’s a hospital itt will have your list of prescription medications, Diagnosis from a hospital stay . Your insurance provider, your bill under “billing “
Once you keep scrolling down you will reach “Connect organizations “
Click on that and the information for Mayo will show up. Click on “connect organizations? Or something similar and the organizations you want to connect to will be listed and you can swipe along the bottom and a list of hospitals ( in my case) will come up horizontally on the bottom one after the other and you just tap on the one you want.
The only problem I’ve encountered is that my cardiologist doesn’t use MyChart so not all can be connected.
The organization has to be using the app for it to work.

I have other portals for like my PCP but he doesn’t use the app. They use their own therefore you won’t be able to link them together. There’s a “discover” that you can type in to see which organizations are using MyChart. Once you have different organizations linked (under menu). You can go to any one you want.
But the most important thing is they have to be using the app.

Everything about my health chart from one hospital automatically shows up on another hospitals so everybody’s on the same page. It’s fairly easy to set up if you follow the instructions. All hospitals have a “menu” option so you can choose whatever information you seek.
There is also a “search engine “ that you can use to find your organization.
Let me know if you get lost.
Good Luck!

Thanks for your reply! I have downloaded Mayo app and Allina app on my phone and can sign into them directly and they show each other's stuff. If I download the MyChart App also do you think there would be any conflict?
I wonder what the Docs we are calling "primitive" would think. I believe the government gave them money to do the basics - and they do have an Internet page where you can create an account. They then post test results there, because it is the law....but rarely any doctor notes. Granted the better stuff is an extra expense for the practice and they may not want to spend the money (like Southwest Airlines recent problems with old reservation systems!!!!). And some don't like writing notes. But following one's healthcare is so much easier with MyChart, it should be mandatory.

I get some doctors notes because that’s one of the options in the menu but they tell you that those notes go to my PCP, my cardiologist, my cardiovascular surgeon
Any doctor that is dealing with my condition. I have a pulmonologist that doesn’t have a portal at all. These records are sent to my PCP every time and if it’s a heart issue my cardiologist will also get a copy. I’m a diabetic and my PCP handles that. I’m only type II so a pill will do.
There shouldn’t be a conflict because MyChart is independent. So you could have all three. If Mayo and Alina are linked together and they use MyChart then that’s ok but even if they have portals that they control you can connect them to MyChart plus any other organization as long as they all use MyChart.

Emergency departments in the 4 hospitals I’ve used all know I belong to MyChart and they digitally send the information to MyChart and it’s almost instantaneous.

As soon as I’m discharged from the hospital I go home and (if I’m feeling well) go to my phone and the MyChart icon in my phone’s app home page and open it. It’s great. I can take my time as I am no longer in a chaotic emergency room. Doctors notes and a summary plus your discharge information is all there. It even lists the meds they gave you while there. I use my local White Cross pharmacy and the doctor sends any prescription straight through their laptops and my meds get delivered to me home within 4-5 hours.
My dentist is listed on my PCP’s portal because they both use their version of MyChart. You can play with the app . Don’t worry, doing so will not cause a conflict. Mayo and Alina may use the same portal that you linked them both on. Nice part is that MyChart is totally free.

Thanks again for your reply!
I too read notes and tests immediately. Funny thing, last year I saw ENT based on head CT scan indicating fungal ball in sinus which requires removal. ENT ordered sinus CT scan and at same time put in order to schedule surgery for removal. The sinus scan result was posted immediately. I saw it identified "fungal ball" as dental implant/debris in sinus, therefore no need for surgery. The staff called 30 minutes later to schedule surgery that week, so I told them to check with ENT - who obviously had not had time to see scan. I avoided lost time and inconvenience of scheduling and then cancelling the surgery!

That’s what‘s good about portals, especially a bunch of linked ones. I like them because I can be involved in my own health care decisions . The 2nd hospital suggested surgery but I opted to check with my own cardiovascular surgeon after I called him and he said he wanted to do a sonogram because he had already seen the hospital’s diagnosis and ct scan results and he wants to make sure I don’t need unnecessary surgery.