Amanda and Rusty Summers are busy professionals who work full-time. Amanda helps both her 83-year-old mother Anne and 85-year-old mother-in-law Melvyna with their medical appointments, prescriptions and other healthcare needs. Several years ago, Amanda decided it was time for the family to get smart about managing their healthcare. Her first move? Connect to Yavapai Regional Medical Center’s (YRMC’S) online patient portal, YRMC CareConnect.
Amanda helped her mother and mother-in-law set up YRMC CareConnect accounts. Both Anne and Melvyna gave Amanda permission to access their accounts. Amanda and husband Rusty also created their own YRMC CareConnect accounts.
“Having access to our YRMC CareConnect accounts online is a huge help and great time saver,” said Amanda. “I can email our providers with non-urgent questions any time of the day, rather than calling during business hours, and I hear back from them promptly.”
If a member of the Summers family is referred to a physician specialist, the new YRMC PhysicianCare or YRMC provider can access, with permission, the family member’s medical information.
“It’s also good to have everything – appointments, visit summaries, lab results, radiology reports, and medication lists – at my fingertips,” Amanda said.
When Melvyna travels out-of-town to visit family, Amanda prints a medication list from her mother-in-law’s YRMC CareConnect account and tucks it into Melvyna’s purse. If there’s a medical emergency while she’s away, Amanda can access and send important health information to Melvyna’s out-of-area caregivers.
YRMC providers, led by Pediatrician Ronael Eckman, MD, YRMC’s Chief Medical Informatics Officer, are working to ensure the success of YRMC CareConnect.
“YRMC’s physicians want the best possible care for their patients and they understand that great care starts with great communication,” said Dr. Eckman.
Dee Betts agrees. As Director of YRMC’s Health Information Management Department, she calls the health system’s total Electronic Medical Record (EMR) conversion a “smart move.” The complete conversion means YRMC’s two hospital campuses, YRMC PhysicianCare and its Outpatient Services can securely share information in order to ensure timely, accurate and comprehensive patient care.
“Our providers embraced the EMR. They are helping us communicate its value to patients,” Betts said. “And our patients let us know how we can make it even better.”
To learn more about YRMC CareConnect, visit us online or speak with your YRMC PhysicianCare provider during your next visit.