Does Your Healthcare Facility Deny You Access to YourChart?
My healthcare facility always encourag
es its patients to login to its website when contacting one’s primary care physician (“PCP”). Even though it may take 2-3 business days to get a response, it is well worth knowing one can get in touch with one’s doctor and ask questions of him or her. That option is so much better than going to the emergency room (“ER”), or making an appointment, then going to the doctor’s office at the facility, and waiting patiently to be called, just to get an answer. Being able to login to the patients’ website to access “mychart” saves so much time and provides a wealth of information, especially when reading one’s lab results.
Recently, I found out I couldn’t access mychart at my current healthcare facility’s website, from overseas. Even though my health status wasn’t urgent, I wanted to take a peek at mychart, and see if there were any outstanding appointments, vaccinations, test results or alerts I had missed.
What a shock it was when I tried to login to my account to see a message that read, “Access Denied. You don’t have permission to access mychart on this server.”
What was I going to do?
Of course, I tried to login, once again, but my attempt was not successful. I wondered if this was the norm for folks who traveled from the US, internationally, or if I was the only one this denial was happening to. I told myself to take a deep breath, remain calm, and to try to relax.
Access to a Second Healthcare Facility Helps
Apparently, my advice to self worked. And then it occurred to me I had access to a second healthcare facility I used to attend not too long before then, and for many years, whose website I was still able to access. Once logged in, I read I was behind in keeping up with my vaccinations, mammograms and routine medical procedures. That facility had no idea I was up-to-date on everything it thought I was behind in. Also, that facility had sent me two letters on separate occasions. They instructed me to leave their facility, find a new PCP and join one of several recommended healthcare facilities for attention because it no longer accepted my medical insurance. That was the reason I had left it. At the time, I was devastated and wanted to delete the institution’s name and information from my contacts, after I had registered with the new facility. However, a wiser head prevailed, and I kept my contacts list intact.
So there I was wanting information from my newer healthcare facility, with which I had a shorter relationship, but was not successful in getting any help. On the other hand, I was able to access and communicate with the older healthcare facility that had dissolved our long-term relationship.
My Opinion
It’s a good thing to have ties to at least two medical facilities that have your health records. This is useful in the event you’re stuck far away on homeland, or overseas, and run out of medication, need medical advice, or need to be airlifted, in an emergency. Having the assurance that you’re in touch with your healthcare facility is a stress tamer that could help you focus on what you’re about, whether the occasion be fun, business or solemn.
Finally, after having found myself in the quandary of how to access my health information while overseas so as to be advised by a familiar healthcare provider, I find it advisable to inform you: Do your research and find out if your healthcare provider is accessible when you’re away, or only when you’re on home turf. It would not only make a big difference to know ahead of time, but you also won’t be left at a loss.
Unsolicited Advice
- Get your refills of medication before you travel
- Keep up with your shots, vaccinations, and necessary health procedures
- Try to maintain good health
- Be sure your cell phone works