MyChart Connects Patients to Their Health Story

MARCH 13, 2023 – Terry MacLellan and his family have lived in Barrhaven for 13 years, but they still think of Winchester District Memorial Hospital as their hospital of choice. In fact, they wouldn’t think twice about driving down Highway 31 for care. Now, Terry says the option to use MyChart to track the care his family receives is an added bonus.

MyChart is a secure online portal that enables patients to see and manage their personal health information anytime, anywhere. Three local hospitals are now offering this new option to their patients.

Pictured (l-r): Terry, Andrea, Scott, Courtney MacLellan

As part of the Epic digital health network joined by Deep River & District Hospital, Kemptville District Hospital, and Winchester District Memorial Hospital late last year, patients can now have greater access to their own information through MyChart. Patients anywhere across the network of hospitals in the Ottawa region can see their own health records, including after-visit summaries, upcoming appointments, test results, progress notes, discharge notes, medical imaging reports, and more. Patients can also record their medications, allergies, and health measurements, such as blood pressure and weight.

Terry says his daughter starting using MyChart first and he signed up following a recent visit to the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. He was able to compare the test results from before and after a medication change. “It’s all there and it’s pretty cool,” he notes. “It keeps track of your medications, your blood tests and the dates of your procedures. We also get notifications from the app when a test or lab report is in. It’s hard to remember everything but it’s all there and we can share information with one another too.”

To sign up for MyChart, patients need a valid email account and an activation code. There are several options to sign up:

• Ask hospital registration staff to sign you up when you are registering.
• Use the MyChart activation code on your After-Visit Summary.
• Complete a paper form and present government issued photo ID to Health Records to request an activation code. Your activation code will then be emailed to you.

“Signing up for MyChart is easy and I can even use it on my phone,” adds Terry. “I would highly encourage anyone who has the opportunity to get on MyChart because it really gives you control of your own health care. We’re going to sign my wife up next!”

The Atlas Alliance network of local hospitals using Epic and MyChart includes Deep River & District Hospital, Hawkesbury and District General Hospital, Kemptville District Hospital, The Ottawa Hospital, Renfrew Victoria Hospital, St. Francis Memorial Hospital, University of Ottawa Heart Institute and Winchester District Memorial Hospital. For patients who visit a non-Epic site and would like access to their records, requests can be made through the hospital’s Health Records department.

For more information about how to register for MyChart, please visit your local hospital’s website.

ABOUT DEEP RIVER & DISTRICT HOSPITAL.   The Deep River & District Hospital (DRDH) is a 16-bed acute care hospital located on the wooded banks of the Ottawa River, within the Town of Deep River. DRDH is part of a person-centered campus of care, which also includes the Four Seasons Lodge Long-Term Care Home and the North Renfrew Family Health Team, all on one site. Our campus of care is expanding, innovating, and modernizing to better serve our communities and further our ability to provide excellent, compassionate care, every time. Supported by a dedicated team of employees and physicians, DRDH is committed to advancing our mission of caring for every person like a loved one, within an integrated health system. With partners across the Ottawa Valley Ontario Health Team, DRDH is collaborating on new models of health care delivery that put patients, families and caregivers at the centre of the health care system. Accreditation Canada has recognized the organization’s clinical and operational performance with its highest rating, Exemplary Standing. For more information about DRDH, visit www.drdh.org.

Media contact: Amy Joyce: 613.584.3333 x 7100 | amy.joyce@drdh.org

ABOUT KEMPTVILLE DISTRICT HOSPITAL.   Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) is a 40-bed acute care hospital located in the rapidly growing Eastern Ontario municipality of North Grenville, 40 minutes south of Ottawa. We provide 24-hour emergency care, inpatient care, advanced orthopaedic surgery (as a satellite of The Ottawa Hospital), Convalescent Care, Interim Long-Term Care, Day Surgery, Diagnostic Imaging, an ever-growing list of outpatient clinics, and education and wellness programming including Diabetes Education and Support. Committed to advancing our mission of Building Healthier Communities, we are an integrated health services organization with deep partnerships in our community and region. With our partners in the Ottawa West Four Rivers Ontario Health Team, we are collaborating on a new model of health care delivery that puts patients, families and caregivers at the centre of the health care system. For more information about KDH services, visit www.kdh.on.ca.

Media contact: Jenny Read: 613.258.6133 x 223 |  jread@kdh.on.ca

ABOUT WINCHESTER DISTRICT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.   We’re here for you! That’s the message from the team at Winchester District Memorial Hospital (WDMH). WDMH cares for families throughout our region, with a patient and family-centred approach. It is a full-service hospital from childbirth to seniors’ care – and a hub site for cancer care, dialysis and cataract surgery. WDMH has a 24/7 Emergency Department and Diagnostic Imaging services including digital mammography and CT scans. Day surgery and specialty clinics, with visiting specialists from Ottawa hospitals, mean that patients can receive care without travelling to the city. Research and education initiatives drive quality and best practices. WDMH has an award-winning reputation for compassionate excellence. For more information about WDMH services, visit www.wdmh.on.ca

Media contact: Jane Adams: 613.729.4864 | jadams@wdmh.on.ca