MyUTHealth patient portal debuts in May 2021

During the pandemic, we have seen the pivotal role digital communications play in streamlining interaction between our health care teams and patients. As part of the Epic transition, we will migrate from Follow My Health via Allscripts to MyChart through Epic in May 2021. When that takes place, patients will be able to connect with us through the MyChart app or through the university’s customized app, MyUTHealth, which leads to MyChart.

Why the name MyUTHealth?

Many of you may be wondering why it is called MyUTHealth. The answer is simple. With Epic, more than just the practice plan will be part of it. The MyUTHealth app will be accessible to UT Health Services (clinic run by the Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth) and UTHealth Harris County Psychiatric Center patients. In phase 2, it will also be available to UTHealth Neuroscience patients. It’s a brand that will represent all of those university patients.

We understand concerns over other institutions using UT Health (sister institutions) as the names of their apps. To address that feedback, Houston will be visible as many places as possible in the app stores. Also, logic has been built into the app stores so patients will find the app by using keyword searches such as UT Physicians, UTHealth, HCPC, etc.

To allow patients to make a stronger connection with the UTHealth logo, the logo has already been updated in the MyUTP Patient Portal. View the logos.

MyUTHealth can help patients stay more engaged in their care while enabling them to handle more things on their own, which can ultimately improve health outcomes and save both time and money. The MyChart application comes with robust services that are very exciting for the practice.

MyChart allows patients to take care of many things on their own before they even get to the clinic.

• Questionnaires allow patients to provide medical history and other information, decreasing documentation time.
• With e-visits, patients can seek care for common issues like UTIs or sinus infections without visiting the clinic, freeing up your schedule for more complex patients.
• Releasing test results through MyChart saves time and money you might otherwise spend calling or sending letters for normal results.
• Secure messaging through MyChart can reduce the volume of calls to the clinic, while allowing you or your support staff to respond when it’s most convenient.

How will MyChart benefit the health of our patients?

• One organization found that 90% of patients who have online access to their test results feel they have a better understanding of their medical condition.
• Another organization used Epic and MyChart communication to triple their patient adherence to mammogram and cervical cancer screenings.

Will older patients use MyChart?

• MyChart is designed to be intuitive for patients of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
• At one organization, the largest age group for MyChart use was 55 to 64-years-old.
• Another organization had 15 MyChart-active patients over the age of 100.
• With proxy access in MyChart, other family members or caregivers can access an elderly patient’s record to help them manage their health care if they need it.

Does MyChart help with no-shows?

• One organization found that patients who schedule online through MyChart are 50% more likely to show up for appointments.
• Another organization realized a 4% reduction in no-show rates when patients used online scheduling.

Won’t all those MyChart messages from patients create more work for me?

• You might receive more messages from patients than before, but patient messages can ultimately save you work by eliminating unnecessary office visits or reducing phone calls.
• Messages can also be routed directly to support staff, so you don’t have to follow up unless absolutely necessary.
• A study found that patients who use secure messages through MyChart are 7-10% less likely to schedule an office visit, and they make 14% fewer phone calls than those who don’t use online messaging.

Learn more about MyChart. You can also watch and listen to a YouTube video created by Epic.

We understand this transition will come with many questions regarding data currently stored in Follow My Health and Allscripts. Staff is actively creating an FAQ to help answer questions you and our patients may have.