MyChart Frequently Asked Questions
MyChart offers patients personalized and secure on-line access to portions of their medical records. It enables you to securely use the Internet to help manage and receive information about your health. With MyChart, you can use the Internet to:
- View your medical record, including test results.
- Request prescription renewals.
- Send a secure message to your medical care team.
- Share your records with other providers
- Sync your medical record to a 3rd-party application
- View and cancel appointments
- Pay a bill or set up a payment plan
- Sign up for paperless billing
- View your payment history and past bills
- Send customer service messages to the billing department
- Receive alerts on your phone when a payment is due
MyChart is a free service offered to our patients
We take great care to ensure your health information is kept private and secure. Access to information is controlled through secure access codes, personal IDs, and passwords. Each person controls their password, and the account cannot be accessed without that password. Further, MyChart uses the latest 128-bit SSL encryption technology with no caching to automatically encrypt your session with MyChart. Unlike conventional e-mail, all MyChart messaging is done while you are securely logged on to our website.
MyChart is owned and operated by Providence Health & Services and is fully compliant with federal and state laws pertaining to your privacy. Your name and e-mail address will be treated with the same care and privacy given your health records and will never be sold.
You need access to a computer connected to the Internet and an up-to-date browser (such as Internet Explorer).
Currently, MyChart works with popular internet browsers, such as Internet Explorer, Firefox and Google Chrome on Microsoft Windows based machines, and Safari and Firefox on Mac OS:X. If you are having difficulty getting MyChart to work in your browser, contact the MyChart Help Desk at 1-833-395-2035. The help desk is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The MyChart Help Desk may recommend the use of a different browser. Please also be aware that certain toolbars and browser extensions are known to cause problems with signing into or using MyChart.
Patients who wish to participate will be issued a MyChart activation code during their clinic visit. For other CPH visits (outpatient or inpatient services), the registration staff will ask if you would like to sign up and an activation code can be e-mailed or texted to you. This code will enable you to login and create your own user ID and password. If you were not issued an activation code, you may call your primary care clinic to get one or ask to sign up during you next visit. If you do not have a code, click the “Sign Up for MyChart” button, when asked if you have a code, click “no” and complete the online MyChart sign-up form by entering the requested information.
Call the MyChart Help Desk at 1-833-395-2035. The Help Desk is available to answer your MyChart questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The majority of your medical record will be available in my chart, including lab and x-ray results, clinician documentation, immunization records, allergy, medication and problem lists.
Most lab and x-ray results will be released to MyChart hourly once they are complete. Other completed documentation flows to MyChart once you are discharged from the hospital, or the clinic visit is closed by the provider.
Yes. This is called Child Proxy. You can be granted access to your child's medical chart if your child is 0 to 11 years old. If your child is 12 to 17 years old, we are unable to provide full proxy access to his/her record via MyChart. These age ranges comply with state regulations, designed to protect minors who seek treatment for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Also, foster parents are not eligible to receive proxy access for foster children.
Yes. This is called Adult Proxy. Patients may grant a spouse, or someone over 18 years old who helps manage their health, full access to their medical records. Any adult with MyChart access can grant access to another adult from within their MyChart settings. Alternatively, you can contact your clinic team for more information regarding Proxy Access.
No, due to the sensitive nature of medical information, each adult must establish his or her own MyChart account.
No, MyChart offers direct access to your personal health record and communications about another individual's information would be placed in your health record. Because of this, information would not appear in the correct health record and could potentially jeopardize medical care. Instead you should send a message from your family member’s MyChart Portal account, if you have proxy access, or ask the family member to send a message from his or her account. Please contact your clinic team for more information regarding Proxy access.
Log into MyChart and click on the Preferences tab at the top of the page, then select the appropriate option.
Your MyChart information comes directly from your electronic medical record. You should address updates to your health information at your next appointment or visit. Other than an update, if you feel there is inaccurate information in your medical record, contact the HIM Department at (907) 714-4563.
You will generally receive an answer within two business days. Please note that MyChart should not be used for urgent situations. Please contact your clinic if the situation requires immediate attention or dial 911 if it is an emergency.
No, your access code is not your MyChart ID or password. You will use this code only once to log into MyChart for the first time. This code will expire after you have used it or after 60 days. When you log into MyChart the first time, you will then be asked to create your own unique MyChart ID and password.
You may click the "Forgot password" link on the sign-in page to reset your password online. You may also contact the MyChart Help Desk at 1-833-395-2035 to request a new, secure password. The Help Desk is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Call the MyChart Help Desk at 1-833-395-2035. After identity is verified, a new code will be sent to the email address listed in your medical record. The Help Desk is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
We aim to protect your privacy and the security of your information. While logged into MyChart, if your keyboard remains idle for 20 minutes or more, you will be automatically logged out of MyChart. We recommend that you log out of your MyChart session if you need to leave your computer for even a short period of time.
For your security, your access code expires after 60 days and is no longer valid after the first time you use it. If you still have problems, call the MyChart Help Desk at 1-833-395-2035. The MyChart Help Desk is available to answer your MyChart questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If your security code is still valid, please check to make sure that the correct location appears in the upper right hand corner of the MyChart login Page. If the correct location does not appear, click on the “Not from these areas” link and select the appropriate area.
A variety of smartphone apps (e.g. Apple Health) are able to connect with your MyChart medical record. CPH does not provide support for these 3rd party apps, but we can assist you with setting up your MyChart account, which is the first step to expanded access through 3rd party apps.
ADDITONAL 3rd Party app information:
Please bear in mind that using a 3rd party app for storing and accessing your health information could present risks to your information privacy. These risks may be influenced by the third-party application’s practices, data encryption, information-sharing relationships, etc. Once you export your health data to a 3rd party app, your information may not be entitled to HIPAA privacy and security protections.
Make an informed choice on selecting a third party app. You must take an active role in protecting your health information. Information below is provided to help you make informed decisions when selecting an app to store your health information.
Look for an easy-to-read privacy policy that clearly explains how the app will use your data. This privacy policy should:
- Be publicly accessible at all times, including updated version;
- Be shared with all individuals that use the app prior to the app receiving health data;
- Be written in plain language and in a manner intended to inform the user about the app;
- Include a statement of whether and how your health information may be accessed, exchanged, or used by any other person or company, including if your information may be sold at any time (including at some future point); and
- Include a requirement for your express consent before your health information is accessed, exchanged, or used. This would include getting your consent before your information is sold (other than disclosures required by law or disclosures necessary in connection with the sale of the app or similar transaction)
Other Important Considerations:
- What health data will this app collect? Will this app collect non-health data from my device, such as my location?
- What security measures does this app use to protect my data?
- Will my data be stored in a de-identified or anonymized form?
- Will this app disclose my data to third parties?
- Will this app sell my data for any reason, such as advertising or research?
- Will this app share my data for any reason? If so, with whom? For what purpose?
- How can I limit this app’s use and disclosure of my data?
- Does my health information include information about my family members (family history) and what impact would sharing that information with this app have on them?
- How can I access my data and correct inaccuracies in data retrieved by this app?
- Does this app have a process for collecting and responding to user complaints?
- If I no longer want to use this app, or if I no longer want this app to have access to my health information, how do I terminate the app’s access to my data?
- What is the app’s policy for deleting my data once I terminate access? Do I have to do more than just delete the app from my device?
- How does this app inform users of changes that could affect its privacy practices?
If the app’s privacy policy does not clearly answer these questions, or if you are uncomfortable with the app’s answers, you should reconsider using the app to access and store your health information. Health information is very sensitive information, and you should be careful to choose apps with strong privacy and security standards to protect it.
Are third-party apps covered by HIPAA?
Most third-party apps will not be covered by HIPAA. Most third-party apps will instead fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the protections provided by the FTC Act. The FTC Act, among other things, protects against deceptive acts (e.g., if an app shares personal data without permission, despite having a privacy policy that says it will not do so).
The FTC provides information about mobile app privacy and security for consumers here: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0018-understanding-mobile-apps
What should a patient do if they think their data have been breached or an app has used their data inappropriately?
If you feel your information has been breached by a third-party app, you may submit a complaint to the Office of Civil Rights (for HIPAA covered apps) and/or with the Federal Trade Commission (for non-HIPAA covered apps)
To learn more about filing a complaint with OCR under HIPAA, visit: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html
Individuals can file a complaint with OCR using the OCR complaint portal:
https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/smartscreen/main.jsf
Individuals can file a complaint with the FTC using the FTC complaint assistant:
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#crnt&panel1-1
