MyChart (Patient Portal) (2024)

FAQs

What are the disadvantages of MyChart? ›

Test results in MyChart

In line with California law, some radiology, pathology and genetic test results won't be available in MyChart until five days after they're finalized. These time frames allow your care provider to review results before they're posted.

They're designed to make life easier for patients, and studies show they can even help reduce hospital visits, like in 2020 when heart failure patients using these portals saw fewer hospital readmissions.

Under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, laboratories will be required to provide patients with their completed test reports within 30 days of a request, but they will not be required to explain the results to patients.

Some potential disadvantages of patient portals include:

Disparities in age, technological literacy, and internet access can make use of patient portals intimidating or unattractive to some patients.

Lack of online medical records - Roughly 32% of patients reported not having an online medical record, which is a prerequisite for utilizing a patient portal. Limited internet access - Approximately 25% of patients cited a lack of internet access as a barrier to using patient portals.

All lab results are compared to a standard guideline for what is considered “within normal range.” These standards were developed as a guide but are not absolute. You will see an exclamation point (!) next to the result if it's outside of the normal range, but that isn't necessarily a cause for concern.

To withhold notes or test results from MyChart for this reason, you must have a reasonable belief that withholding the information from MyChart will substantially reduce a risk to life or physical safety of the patient or another person.

Results for CT, MRI, and PET CTs are available after your physician reviews them or 48 hours after the exam, whichever occurs first. MyChart provides easy access to results and the ability to review them prior to your next appointment with your doctor.

Early interventions, improved access to their care team, and increased efficiency of care delivery can ultimately lead to reduced costs and improved quality of care.

What percentage of patients use patient portals? ›

About 3 in 5 individuals nationwide reported they were offered and accessed their online medical record or patient portal in 2022 — this represents a 50 percent increase since 2020. Figure 1: Percent of individuals nationwide who were offered and accessed their online medical record or patient portal, 2014-2022.

Patient portals can inadvertently contribute to alienation between patients and healthcare providers, particularly among populations with limited access to these online tools. Individuals with lower health literacy may be resistant to using patient portals due to the potential for confusion and misunderstanding.

Remember there are many reasons why a healthcare provider will contact you after a medical test. If results are concerning, they may call you or have a receptionist call to schedule an appointment. 15 A healthcare provider may also call to assure you everything is okay or discuss any needed follow-up tests.

Getting Your Breast Biopsy Results

Results will be in your medical record, sent to your doctor, and available for you in MyChart on the day the pathologist completes the report.

One reason would be to diagnose you. The second reason would be to measure the effectiveness of a treatment. The third reason would be to monitor a chronic illness or condition.

Yes. myChart is secure, which means your information is safe and protected. We follow strict federal and state confidentiality laws and have the highest security measures in place to protect the privacy of your information.

Deactivation does not affect information already in your MyChart account; however, the information will no longer be available to send, receive, or access any additional information.

However, there are also some potential disadvantages to consider. The accuracy of the system may vary, with some studies reporting an average error of 5% in heart rate measurements . The system relies on wireless technology, which may be susceptible to interference or connectivity issues .

2 Disadvantages of graphs and charts

One of the main disadvantages is that they can be misleading, confusing, or inaccurate if they are not designed, labeled, or interpreted correctly. They can also create bias or distortion, as you can manipulate the data or the visual elements to emphasize or hide certain aspects.