If you haven't been told about Patient Portals (PPs) it could be extremely helpful for you to ask at the place you are being treated. They are easy for us to create our own access to the PP and our various tests are usually available for us to read within a couple of hours or at least the next day.
When I created access to the PP, I started at the website (or on-line, I don't remember) and found the access from either one and was able to create y own place there. My various docs send their notes to the PP, scan reports are sent there and so are lab work reports.
Seeing results soon can be very helpful and often reassuring.
If anyone here has wisdom to add about PPs please do add it.
May we all find paths to peace of mind, love and friendship, And ways to manage this cancer.
Love,
Pam
Written by
PJBinMI
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I use mine all the time. From both my cancer center and my hospital one. I find them very helpful at times but then I have to google sometimes words I don’t understand. It’s a great help if you don’t see the dr right away and saves anxiety at times. Hugs!
I love my Patient Portal! I love seeing test results and doctors' comments so that I can study the terms, look up unfamiliar vocabulary and digest the information before seeing the doctor again. I am a visual learner and need to see it all in print. I can be ready for my next visit already understanding what he/she is going to tell me. I can digest the information in advance, so I can listen unemotionally to the doctor instead of going into "shock and worry mode" right there in the office. That's a waste of everyone's valuable time. Get a Patient Portal site!!
I also like my patient portal. However, it is important to read the reports a few times, look up all the terminology before jumping to conclusions about how good or bad things have progressed or not. It can be a two edged sword. If you misinterpret what you’re reading you may worry for nothing. For example, sometimes what you read in the CT scan report appears to contradict what the bone scan report says.
What I like about it is that whatever the report says, I can do my research, including with all of you on this site, and be prepared for the conversation with the onc. So definitely yes, get a patient portal but make sure you understand what you’re reading.
I Agree love patient portal! As you all have said i like reading it and looking up things i dont understand so when i get to the doctor appt i have my questions ready and can actually understand better what they are saying and planning. Plus it takes away a lot of long term anxiety waiting between the scan and your doc appt. Even if its bad news you have time to get your emotions out of the way and can absorb better what the doctor is talking about ask your questions so you dont walk away thinking i should have asked this and what did he say again? Yes so glad they have patient portals!!! One thing to remember our portal here doesnt put up info for tests that are sent out for analasis. Such as guardant blood biopsy and bone biopsy. I had to call the office to get those results.
I agree! I switched hospitals to join a trial and found their PP extremely helpful to have everything in one place: appointments, covid protocol updates, my test history, results and ability to contact staff/doctor directly. Now I’m back at my previous hospital I am grateful they are FINALLY installing the same software (though it’s going to take them a long time to get it set up properly!).
The established place also had billing in their portal but be careful with that aspect. I’ve had to dispute a number of the bills from them and recently discovered that they have removed a lot of that information (specifically, appointments that I had, which I used as schedule confirmation for myself, like a medical diary) which is pretty frustrating!
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