Important Changes to Your Medical Record Access
Beginning April 5 we will be making it easier for you to access your medical record. This is due to a new provision in the law called the 21st Century Cures Act. For appointments that occur on or after April 5, 2021 the notes listed below will be available to view through the patient portal. Notes for visits prior to April 5, 2021 will become accessible to you through the patient portal in the days ahead.
As a patient, you already have the right to an electronic copy of your medical records by making a request to your provider. However, this new provision empowers you with immediate access to these records on your own through myUHS/myCMHC and removes barriers and delays related to a traditional medical record request process.
What type of notes will you see in the myUHS/myCMHC portal?
- progress notes
- procedure notes
- discharge summary notes
- history and physical
- imaging (e.g., x-ray, ultrasound) narratives
- laboratory report narratives
- pathology report narratives
- consultation notes between and among CMHC and UHS providers (Consultation notes from external providers are not visible on the web portal and must be requested.)
Important Privacy Considerations
Anyone who has access to your UT EID and password will have access to your medical records.
Sharing your UT EID password with anyone else is a violation of the university's Acceptable Use Policy, and it can jeopardize the privacy and security of your personal information. If you have concerns about someone who has access to your EID and password retrieving information about your visits, you can take the following actions:
- Change your password
- Ensure that Duo is linked only to your personal device and not others. By doing this, you will be alerted via Duo if someone tries to use your EID and password to access your patient portal.
- Set up an eproxy account for any individual who needs to access specific areas of your university records to complete tasks such as paying bills on your behalf. Rather than using your EID, an eproxy obtains their own EID for this purpose and will not be able to access your counseling and medical records.
- Have a conversation with the person who has access to your password about why it is important to you to keep your records private.
- If the above actions are not feasible, speak with your provider about your concern and options for having certain notes blocked. You will still be able to access these notes through a records request.
Use discretion when sharing information from your medical record. For example, if your professor or workplace asks for a visit verification, you do not need to download and send them your entire medical record or notes from your visit.
Your counseling and medical records are some of the most private information maintained about you. While the 21st Century Cures Act is designed to provide more immediate access to your records, it also puts part of the responsibility on you to maintain the privacy and security of your information.
What type of notes will you not see?
- Notes gathered in anticipation of legal proceedings
- A note that a healthcare provider or counselor has blocked. In rare cases this may be done to prevent harm, protect security or for a few other exceptional reasons.
A Note About Mental Health Records
Although the 21st Century Cures Act specifically says that psychotherapy notes cannot be viewed, CMHC and UHS mental health counselors do not use psychotherapy notes as defined in this law. For all mental health visits, you will still see notes that your counselor or psychiatrist wrote including information about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment plan, prescriptions and lab results.
Notes About Lab and Imaging Results
- You may see results before your provider does.
- Please give your UHS/CMHC provider at least two business days to review and provide comments. UHS/CMHC staff will contact you in a timely manner when urgent or emergent action is necessary.
