Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Medical Home Port Online?
   Medical Home Portal Online is a Web-based service through which doctors and patients can communicate securely about non-urgent healthcare matters. Through Medical Home Portal Online, you can consult your doctor about specific health symptoms, request a prescription refill, request appointments, request lab or test results, and access health education information.
2. What computer hardware/software do I need to use the Medical Home Port Online service?
   Medical Home Port Online requires only a connection to the Internet and a Web browser. Medical Home Port Online supports: Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 on Windows XP and higher, Firefox 2.x on Windows XP and higher, Safari 2.x on Mac OS 10.4 and higher.
3. Is the Medical Home Port Online service secure?
   With highly secure, built-in 128-bit, secure-socket layer encryption technology, Medical Home Port Online protects the privacy and confidentiality of personal information transmitted through its doctor-patient messaging service. Only you, your doctor, and your doctor's authorized staff can read your Medical Home Port Online messages.
4. How is Medical Home Port Online different than regular e-mail?
   Medical Home Port Online messages differ from regular e-mail messages in that they are securely and confidentially transmitted and structured to the specific needs of doctor-patient interaction. Also, unlike e-mail - which relies on multiple file servers distributed across the Internet - Medical Home Port Online uses a single, centrally managed, secure database which ensures that messages cannot be intercepted, deleted, copied, or altered in any way.
5. Will I be assigned a Medical Home Port Online e-mail address? How will I know if I have a message waiting for me at Medical Home Port Online?
   As a Medical Home Port Online user, you aren't assigned an e-mail address. Rather, you'll access the secure Medical Home Port Online service by typing the Medical Home Port Online URL into your Web browser and signing in to your password-protected Medical Home Port Online account. When a message is delivered to your Medical Home Port Online Inbox, you're immediately notified via e-mail (this notice is sent to the e-mail address you provided when registering) and provided a convenient link to Medical Home Port Online so you can quickly access your waiting message.
6. I can't find my doctor in your list. What should I do? How can I tell my doctor about Medical Home Port Online?
   Tell us your doctor's name and we'll contact your doctor about joining Medical Home Port Online. We'll notify you via e-mail when we contact your doctor.
7. Can I communicate with any doctor in the Medical Home Port Online network?
   No, you may only communicate with your assigned provider.
8. Is there a fee for this service?
   You may use this service free of charge.
9. How do I send a message to my doctor using Medical Home Port Online?
   Once you successfully register with Medical Home Port Online and your doctor agrees to communicate with you through the service, easy-to-use, structured templates allow you to consult your doctor about specific health symptoms, request a prescription refill, request appointments, requeste lab or test results, ask a simple question, or access health education information
10. Who can view the messages I send using Medical Home Port Online?
    Only you, your doctor, and your doctor's authorized staff can view your Medical Home Port Online messages. Authorized members of your providers staff may include the nurse and the receptionst, just like when you leave a message over the phone. Messages are never stored anywhere but on the secure Medical Home Portal Online server, and they cannot be read en route, deleted, copied, or altered in any way.
11. How do I know the message I get back is from my doctor?
    All members of Medical Home Portalal Online, doctors included, are required to create and enter a secure Sign In name and password to access the service. When your doctor replies to your message, their name will appear in the "Sender" field of the message. Should a member of your doctor's authorized staff respond to your message, that person's name ? as well as the doctor's name ? will appear in the "Sender" field of the message you receive.
12. What if I forget my password?
    If you register for Medical Home Portal Online and forget your password, you can simply click the "Forgot your Sign In Name or Password?" link below the Sign In box on the Sign In page. If you know either your sign in name or your password, we can provide you with the missing piece of information immediately. If you have forgotten both your sign in name and your password, you'll be directed to Medical Home Portal Online Customer Support for assistance.
13. As a user, do I have to enter my health information in the Health Record section of Medical Home Portal Online? Who has access to my Medical Home Portal Online Health Record? Who can change my Health Record?
    Only you, your doctor, and your doctor's authorized staff have access to your Medical Home Portal Online Health Record. And you can see who has accessed this medical information at any time. Completing a Medical Home Portal Online Health Record is not required; however, keeping accurate records of your health habits, medications, allergies, and medical conditions helps you keep track. Your doctor can modify your Health Record to reflect a recent diagnosis or a new medication.
14. What if I decide I want to discontinue my or my family member's membership in Medical Home Portal Online?
    You may terminate your Medical Home Port online membership at any time. Once your Medical Home Port Online membership is terminated, all information stored in your account up to the termination date - a "snapshot" if you will - remains accessible to your doctor, but you will no longer be able to communicate with your physician through Medical Home Port Online (or vice versa).
    
    If you want to alter your Medical Home Portal Online account by removing a family member from the service, the family member's information will be removed from your Medical Home Portal Online Health Record, and you'll be unable to message doctors about this family member. All previous messages sent and received for this family member will be stored in your Medical Home Portal Online account. You can always re-add the family member back to your Medical Home Portal Online account at a later date, if you wish.
15. What if I need help?
    With Medical Home Online, you enjoy 24/7 toll-free phone and e-mail support. During normal business hours (6:00 AM to 5:30 PM Pacific Time), Medical Home Online Customer Support representatives are accessible by phone or e-mail. Voice or e-mail messages left after normal business hours automatically page an on-call Customer Support representative, who responds within one hour.