Online Health Information - Patient Portals

            Communication is the best gift the internet has given us. We can give a lot of information to someone in a very little time. One way doctors have started using this is through patient portals. A patient portal as a place online that you and your doctor can store information.  When that information is online you can get to it anywhere.

How can this help me?

            This is helpful in a lot of ways.

·       If you must go to the hospital. You can show (even if you are knocked out) …

o   A full list of your medications.

o   A history of your health

o   Any important documents like your living will.

o   A list of your allergies

·       If you have questions about your tests you can see the results online from your home without having to go to the doctor.

·       Your doctor can see the results of your tests much sooner.

Is this all safe?

            Whenever you are asked to give personal information online it is important to make sure that it is protected. A good safe patient portal should be one that your doctor or nurse sets up with you when you are there in person. It should be protected by a password only you know. Your doctor will have his own password. You should not have to type in all your personal information. The information on the system should be from the forms you filled out at the doctor’s office. Before considering any online patient information service talk to your doctor.