Patients Have New Opportunities to Engage in Their Health Care July 8, 2024 Several new MyChart enhancements provide convenient opportunities for patients to engage in their health care. Whether a patient is in the hospital, getting diagnostic imaging or at home planning to make bill payments, MyChart is putting tools in place to make accessing health information, making appointments and setting up payment plans easier. MyChart Bedside With the MyChart Bedside app, hospital inpatients or their proxies will be able to access patient electronic health information at any time during their care. This includes lab results and medical notes from clinicians such as providers, nurses, clergy and more. This MyChart enhancement is in response to the 21st Century Cures Act and its information blocking rule which give patients more control over their electronic health information. “Clinicians should expect that patients may see results before they do, as patients will be receiving results and doctor’s notes in real time” said Todd Larson, assistant vice president, Samaritan Medical Group compliance officer. “It is an important communication tool for our patients. It will empower patients to have the ability to engage in informed discussions and decision-making with providers.” Through MyChart Bedside, patients will also be able to review educational materials, see medication information, complete documentation and make service requests, such as wanting an extra blanket, for example. Mammography Scheduling Once a patient receives a scheduling notification in MyChart, they will now have the option to directly schedule an appointment online while in MyChart if desired. Diagnostic Imaging Results Patients can now see their diagnostic images and reports as soon as results are complete and read by the radiologist. This could be as soon as the same day or up to five business days after a completed appointment. This includes any imaging done at a Samaritan hospital including X-rays, ultrasounds and more. This is a significant upgrade that enables patient imaging, regardless of type or image file size, to be viewed in MyChart. Surgery Updates At surgery check-in, patients can request text status updates for waiting family or friends. Text messages will conveniently allow those waiting for surgery patients to get updates on their mobile device wherever they may be. Patients must request this and provide phone number(s) at time of check-in for their procedure. For those who do not wish to receive text messages, patient status can still be viewed on surgery waiting room status boards. Payment Plans Patients will be able to create their own payment plan in MyChart starting Monday, July 8. For those with balances from $50 to $5,000, they can set up to a six-month term payment plan with no interest. Existing options for paying instantly online, extended payment plans and financial assistance are also still available. For additional information, please see the variety of payment options. Captions: (First image) With the MyChart Bedside app, hospital inpatients or their proxies will be able to access patient electronic health information at any time during their care including lab results and medical notes from clinicians such as providers, nurses, clergy and more. (Second image) With MyChart, you can now see your diagnostic images and reports as soon as results are complete and read by the radiologist.
