Northern Montana Health Care Announces Changes to Patient Portal
Havre, Montana – Northern Montana Health Care (NMHC) has implemented several new changes to their Patient Portal. This interactive web portal allows patients and their families to take a more active role in their care by providing easy, secure access to their health information and online communication with NMHC staff. Since its implementation in 2014, it has had several additions of benefits and usages.
One of the latest changes will affect parents of youth aged 13-17. In support of the 2021 MT Code Annotated Chapter 1, Title 41-1-401-1-403, NMHC will not provide electronic access to health care information for minors (Aged 13-17). Electronic access via the Patient Portal will now end automatically on a patient’s 13th birthday.
“It seems counter intuitive as a parent to lose portal access to your child’s medical information, but as a healthcare organization, we have no option but to comply with this rule.” explained Christen Obresley, VP of Regulatory and Community Services. “Most information will still be available to parents through the Health Information Management Department located on the second floor of the hospital. This rule only limits the electronic access of the adolescent’s record.”
As an additional update to the Patient Portal, patients will now also be automatically invited to join the portal after giving registration staff their personal email information. This will make the initial enrollment process immediate and ready for the patient to complete the enrollment after their visit.
“Our patients are loving the Patient Portal as it makes maintaining your medical records and receiving information from your providers so much easier” adds Patti Nault, Director of Patient Access. “Patients can request appointments, securely message their providers, view medication information, and receive test result notifications, all through the Portal.”
The last addition to the capabilities of NMHC’s Patient Portal is Shared Access. This allows portal users to invite other people to have access to their Patient Portal. This will be very helpful in cases of elderly patients, or those needing family assistance. The Shared Access can be designated to profile (demographic information) or clinical data or both.
If patients have questions about these updates, or would like more information on the Patient Portal they may call NMHC at 406-262-1450.
