At Major Health Partners, we work hard to make sure that everything we
do is focused on you – the patient. We want to offer you the best
healthcare services available and that includes making your entire experience
at MHP as simple, convenient and coordinated as possible.
On July 1, MHP will transition our entire health network to a single, electronic
medical record (EMR) system called Meditech EXPANSE. Currently, we use
two separate EMR systems, one for hospital-centered care and one for outpatient-centered
care. Those separate systems created processes that are not as seamless
for our patients and providers as they could be, so a necessary change
was made to improve these methods. Read below for frequently asked questions
about these upcoming changes.
What is an electronic medical record?
An
electronic medical record (EMR) is a digital version of a patient’s paper chart. EMRs are
real-time, patient-centered records that make information available instantly
and securely to authorized users. An EMR may contain a patient’s
medical history, diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, immunization
dates, allergies, radiology images, and laboratory and test results. It
can allow access to evidence-based tools that providers can use to make
decisions about a patient’s care. It can also automate and streamline
the workflow of your healthcare providers.
MHP will upgrade its EMR to the most advanced version available. The upgrade
will provide enhanced security for patient records, better functionality
for healthcare providers, and will be more widely used across our organization.
When will MHP upgrade its electronic medical record?
How will the upgrade affect my appointments?
After the July 1 upgrade takes place, our offices and departments will
run more slowly to make sure we properly transfer patient information.
We will also have fewer appointments available during this time, but we
expect to return to normal within 6-8 weeks (September 2019).
How does new information get added into my electronic health record?
Your healthcare team will use a computer to add new information directly
into your medical record during your appointment. Appointments may take
a little longer at first as our teams learn the new system, but their
speed will return to normal shortly.
If I received care at MHP recently, why do I need to provide my information
again today?
We are transferring your information into our new electronic medical record
system. For your record to be complete and accurate, we want to verify
and update your full information. This will help us provide you with the
best possible care.
How will this change affect my clinic or hospital bills?
This change will not affect hospital bills. Hospital services include the
Emergency Room, our Outpatient Lab and Imaging, Surgery, Maternity Care,
and our Inpatient units. Bills for these areas will continue as normal.
This change will affect doctors’ office bills. If you have an outstanding
office balance that was incurred before July 1, it will be billed separately
until it is paid. Any doctor’s office balance incurred after July
1 will be billed from our new electronic medical record system.
Please note that it is MHP’s practice to provide separate bills for
office charges and hospital-based services.
Why do you need my email address?
Your email address will be used for appointment reminders, for communication
about healthcare quality improvement, and to enroll you in our online
patient portal called
MyMHPHealth.
What is the patient portal?
Our
MyMHPHealth patient portal is a tool offered by the hospital and your doctor’s
office which allows you to access and manage your health information.
This includes accessing your health records, viewing test results, scheduling
your own appointments with your primary care provider, requesting medication
renewals, paying your hospital and physician bills, and communicating
with your provider through secure e-mail messages.
With the patient portal, you also have the option to share access to your
health record and/or medical bills with family and loved ones so that
they can stay up-to-date on the care you are receiving. You will be offered
the opportunity to enroll in the
MyMHPHealth patient portal during your visit or appointment.
Is my medical information secure?
Yes. MHP uses the best and most up-to-date security tools on the market
to protect and keep your medical information secure.