Summary
- Patient portals and e-visits help people connect with their doctors digitally.
- Digital health tools and apps help people better manage their health conditions.
The ways of connecting with your doctor are expanding. The old way of calling to make an appointment or to renew a prescription still exist. More and more though, people are connecting with their health care providers digitally. Some of these methods include email, text, video, and the use of a patient portal.
Patient portals
The term may sound daunting, but a patient portal is simply a secure website. It allows for safe interaction between a patient and a doctor. Some of the benefits many of these portals offer include:
- Often 24/7 access
- Setup and reminder of appointments
- Prescription refill requests
- Viewing of lab results
- Access to medical records
- Answers to medical questions
- Monitoring tools
- Health care info
- Health insurance info
- Bill payment
- E-visits
E-visits
Some patient portals offer e-visits for non-urgent care. E-visits are electronic exchanges with your doctor that consist of email, text, or video. Sometimes they may take the place of coming into the office for a follow-up. Ask your doctor about whether or not these are offered.
Digital health tools
Digital health tools can be used to track health issues. They include a wide range of technologies. Everything from a heart monitor to your own smartphone may be thought of as a digital health tool. Some of these tools can be found through the patient portal website. There are also thousands of health apps that can be downloaded to your smartphone.
Digital health apps provide easy ways for patients to track things like diet and fitness plans. There are also apps designed to help patients manage certain health issues, such as diabetes. You can download apps that check blood pressure and blood sugar levels, for instance. Read reviews and ratings of such apps first or ask your doctor for suggestions.
Connecting with your doctor
The goal of digital health tools is not to replace time spent with your doctor. In fact, you will wind up spending more time connecting with your doctor. You can even use these digital connections to list the things you want to discuss at your next office visit. The goal is to make you better informed and to improve your health. Using e-visits and patient portals will only enhance your relations with your health care provider.
Keep in mind, however, that your doctor and staff are busy. Therefore, it is best to keep your messages short and to the point. Focus on just one main question or issue per email or text. Be polite and respectful. Allow time for your health provider to respond. You should get a response for an appointment or refill request quickly. More complex questions or requests could take up to a few business days. If you feel you are not getting an answer in a timely manner you can call the office. Do not use e-visits, patient portals, or any other digital health tools for urgent issues.
Securing your privacy
You may be worried about the security of your digital exchanges. Your health care provider will have taken measures to protect your information. Passwords, firewalls, and scrambling software will help keep it private. It is also covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. To find out more click here.
Resource
“Five Questions You Can Ask Your Doctor about Digital Health,” Federal Communications Commission
Summary
- Patient portals and e-visits help people connect with their doctors digitally.
- Digital health tools and apps help people better manage their health conditions.
The ways of connecting with your doctor are expanding. The old way of calling to make an appointment or to renew a prescription still exist. More and more though, people are connecting with their health care providers digitally. Some of these methods include email, text, video, and the use of a patient portal.
Patient portals
The term may sound daunting, but a patient portal is simply a secure website. It allows for safe interaction between a patient and a doctor. Some of the benefits many of these portals offer include:
- Often 24/7 access
- Setup and reminder of appointments
- Prescription refill requests
- Viewing of lab results
- Access to medical records
- Answers to medical questions
- Monitoring tools
- Health care info
- Health insurance info
- Bill payment
- E-visits
E-visits
Some patient portals offer e-visits for non-urgent care. E-visits are electronic exchanges with your doctor that consist of email, text, or video. Sometimes they may take the place of coming into the office for a follow-up. Ask your doctor about whether or not these are offered.
Digital health tools
Digital health tools can be used to track health issues. They include a wide range of technologies. Everything from a heart monitor to your own smartphone may be thought of as a digital health tool. Some of these tools can be found through the patient portal website. There are also thousands of health apps that can be downloaded to your smartphone.
Digital health apps provide easy ways for patients to track things like diet and fitness plans. There are also apps designed to help patients manage certain health issues, such as diabetes. You can download apps that check blood pressure and blood sugar levels, for instance. Read reviews and ratings of such apps first or ask your doctor for suggestions.
Connecting with your doctor
The goal of digital health tools is not to replace time spent with your doctor. In fact, you will wind up spending more time connecting with your doctor. You can even use these digital connections to list the things you want to discuss at your next office visit. The goal is to make you better informed and to improve your health. Using e-visits and patient portals will only enhance your relations with your health care provider.
Keep in mind, however, that your doctor and staff are busy. Therefore, it is best to keep your messages short and to the point. Focus on just one main question or issue per email or text. Be polite and respectful. Allow time for your health provider to respond. You should get a response for an appointment or refill request quickly. More complex questions or requests could take up to a few business days. If you feel you are not getting an answer in a timely manner you can call the office. Do not use e-visits, patient portals, or any other digital health tools for urgent issues.
Securing your privacy
You may be worried about the security of your digital exchanges. Your health care provider will have taken measures to protect your information. Passwords, firewalls, and scrambling software will help keep it private. It is also covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. To find out more click here.
Resource
“Five Questions You Can Ask Your Doctor about Digital Health,” Federal Communications Commission
Summary
- Patient portals and e-visits help people connect with their doctors digitally.
- Digital health tools and apps help people better manage their health conditions.
The ways of connecting with your doctor are expanding. The old way of calling to make an appointment or to renew a prescription still exist. More and more though, people are connecting with their health care providers digitally. Some of these methods include email, text, video, and the use of a patient portal.
Patient portals
The term may sound daunting, but a patient portal is simply a secure website. It allows for safe interaction between a patient and a doctor. Some of the benefits many of these portals offer include:
- Often 24/7 access
- Setup and reminder of appointments
- Prescription refill requests
- Viewing of lab results
- Access to medical records
- Answers to medical questions
- Monitoring tools
- Health care info
- Health insurance info
- Bill payment
- E-visits
E-visits
Some patient portals offer e-visits for non-urgent care. E-visits are electronic exchanges with your doctor that consist of email, text, or video. Sometimes they may take the place of coming into the office for a follow-up. Ask your doctor about whether or not these are offered.
Digital health tools
Digital health tools can be used to track health issues. They include a wide range of technologies. Everything from a heart monitor to your own smartphone may be thought of as a digital health tool. Some of these tools can be found through the patient portal website. There are also thousands of health apps that can be downloaded to your smartphone.
Digital health apps provide easy ways for patients to track things like diet and fitness plans. There are also apps designed to help patients manage certain health issues, such as diabetes. You can download apps that check blood pressure and blood sugar levels, for instance. Read reviews and ratings of such apps first or ask your doctor for suggestions.
Connecting with your doctor
The goal of digital health tools is not to replace time spent with your doctor. In fact, you will wind up spending more time connecting with your doctor. You can even use these digital connections to list the things you want to discuss at your next office visit. The goal is to make you better informed and to improve your health. Using e-visits and patient portals will only enhance your relations with your health care provider.
Keep in mind, however, that your doctor and staff are busy. Therefore, it is best to keep your messages short and to the point. Focus on just one main question or issue per email or text. Be polite and respectful. Allow time for your health provider to respond. You should get a response for an appointment or refill request quickly. More complex questions or requests could take up to a few business days. If you feel you are not getting an answer in a timely manner you can call the office. Do not use e-visits, patient portals, or any other digital health tools for urgent issues.
Securing your privacy
You may be worried about the security of your digital exchanges. Your health care provider will have taken measures to protect your information. Passwords, firewalls, and scrambling software will help keep it private. It is also covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. To find out more click here.
Resource
“Five Questions You Can Ask Your Doctor about Digital Health,” Federal Communications Commission