submitted by Jane Adams
Terry MacLellan and his family have lived in Barrhaven for 13 years, but they still think of Winchester District Memorial Hospital as their hospital of choice. In fact, they wouldn’t think twice about driving down Highway 31 for care. Now, Terry says the option to use MyChart to track the care his family receives is an added bonus.
MyChart is a secure online portal that enables patients to see and manage their personal health information any time, anywhere. Three local hospitals are now offering this new option to their patients.
As part of the Epic digital health network joined by Deep River & District Hospital, Kemptville District Hospital, and Winchester District Memorial Hospital late last year, patients can now have greater access to their own information through MyChart. Patients anywhere across the network of hospitals in the Ottawa region can see their own health records, including after-visit summaries, upcoming appointments, test results, progress notes, discharge notes, medical imaging reports and more. Patients can also record their medications, allergies, and health measurements, such as blood pressure and weight.
Terry says his daughter starting using MyChart first and he signed up following a recent visit to the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. He was able to compare the test results from before and after a medication change. “It’s all there and it’s pretty cool,” he notes. “It keeps track of your medications, your blood tests and the dates of your procedures. We also get notifications from the app when a test or lab report is in. It’s hard to remember everything but it’s all there and we can share information with one another too.”
To sign up for MyChart, patients need a valid email account and an activation code. There are several options to sign up:
– Ask hospital registration staff to sign you up when you are registering.
– Use the MyChart activation code on your After-Visit Summary.
– Complete a paper form and present government issued photo ID to Health Records to request an activation code. Your activation code will then be emailed to you.
“Signing up for MyChart is easy and I can even use it on my phone,” adds Terry. “I would highly encourage anyone who has the opportunity to get on MyChart because it really gives you the control for your own health care. We’re going to sign my wife up next!”
The Atlas Alliance network of local hospitals using Epic and MyChart includes Deep River & District Hospital, Hawkesbury and District General Hospital, Kemptville District Hospital, The Ottawa Hospital, Renfrew Victoria Hospital, St. Francis Memorial Hospital, University of Ottawa Heart Institute and Winchester District Memorial Hospital. For patients who visit a non-Epic site and would like access to their records, requests can be made through the hospital’s Health Records department. For more information about how to register for MyChart, please visit your local hospital’s website.
