MyChart messaging is making it easier to communicate with providers anytime a question or concern pops up — day or night. No more phone tag or waiting for the doctor’s office to open.
From prescription renewal requests and questions about their child’s medication to concerns about new symptoms to interpreting test results, more and more families are turning to MyChart for answers to non-urgent medical questions.
Need a referral to a specialist, or information about your child faxed to another provider? MyChart messaging also is a great tool to check these to-dos and others more quickly off your list.
To make the most of this great feature, Kimberly Jendre, RN, Akron Children’s Mitochondrial Center of Excellence nurse program coordinator, offers some insider information for parents on how to get faster and more useful responses in MyChart for non-urgent requests.
“There’s a misconception that messages go directly to providers,” she said. “Messages actually come to the nurse pool first and we may not know what you’re referring to or have all the necessary information, which can create some back and forth. If we have all the details upfront, however, then we can send the message on to the provider right away and they’re able to get back to families more quickly.”
Prescription renewals
Instead of calling the doctor’s office when they have no refills left on a prescription, many families use MyChart to request prescription renewals.
Kimberly advises families to include the name of the medication and their child’s current dosage. If a physician recently increased or decreased a dosage, or changed how often the child should take the medication, it may not yet be current in the medical chart.
Families also can request renewals directly in MyChart by clicking on “Medications” in the main menu without having to message the office. In this way, the request already includes the child’s refill and dosage information, along with the family’s current pharmacy. Just be sure to include changes in dosage, if applicable.
“If families request renewals and then send a separate MyChart message, we get 2 requests for the same medication and it creates confusion,” said Kimberly. “For quicker action, do one or the other, but I suggest using the “Request a Refill” functionality because it can prevent back and forth messaging to obtain all the necessary information.”
Follow-up questions after well or sick visits
Many families message their doctor’s office with follow-up questions after well or sick visits.
For example, if parents send a message about concerns their child may have developed new symptoms, it’s important to include the specifics of what’s happening and how these symptoms are different from what’s typical for their child.
“Parents know their child best and we may not understand what’s normal for their child,” Kimberly said. “If a parent messages explaining their child is having several seizures a day, that’s not as scary as it seems if the child has a history of seizures, compared to a child that hasn’t had a seizure. The treatment plan may be different based on the child’s norm.”
Test results
Often, families send messages with questions or confusion regarding their child’s test results.
First and foremost, Kimberly advises families to include the specific test result they’re questioning. Also, if the test wasn’t performed at Akron Children’s, be sure to include the date and location of where the test was performed because she can’t always see records outside the system.
In addition, if a family is confused about medical terminology or language, she advises parents to make sure the message includes the specific sentence or phrase they’d like clarified.
“Because most test results are automatically released to MyChart, families may be seeing the test result before a provider has had a chance to review it,” explained Kimberly. “You may need to check back frequently for updates from your provider. But when in doubt, just being as clear and detailed as you can makes a big difference in speeding up the process.”
MyChart messaging is a useful tool for non-urgent medical questions. If your concern is urgent and needs to be addressed immediately, call the office to speak with a live nurse or dial 9-1-1.
For more information about MyChart messaging or MyChart in general, call 330-543-4400 or email mycharthelp@akronchildrens.org.
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