• OhioHealth patients can now use MyChart to discover clinical research opportunities and indicate interest in participating in studies.
• Patients can manage their research preferences, including opting in or out of being contacted about eligible studies.
• Upcoming enhancements will allow patients to search for specific studies and connect directly with research teams through MyChart.

OhioHealth is making it easier than ever for patients to learn about and participate in clinical research.

Through OhioHealth MyChart, patients can now explore research opportunities, indicate their interests and choose whether they would like to be contacted about studies for which they may qualify. The new functionality helps connect patients with innovative research while making participation more accessible and convenient.

Clinical research plays a critical role in advancing medicine, improving treatments and bringing new care options to patients. At OhioHealth, research spans a wide range of specialties, including cancer, heart and vascular care, neuroscience, neurology, surgery and trauma.

"We do a lot of research here at OhioHealth," said Jennifer Sexton, director of research operations for the OhioHealth Research Institute. "We have a lot of research in our cancer space, our surgical and trauma space, heart and vascular neuroscience, neurology research. Our teams are really the support staff that go along with all of the physicians and help them make sure that the patients are going along on their research journey as they should."

Expanding access to research has been a priority as OhioHealth continues to grow its research capabilities across the state.

"Bringing all kinds of treatment options to our patients is really important," Sexton said. "We want to make sure that we can provide treatment opportunities not only on and off research, but close to where people live. As we grow, we expand those opportunities and give patients additional treatment therapies."

The integration of research tools into MyChart reflects that commitment to patient access. Through the platform, patients can learn more about ongoing studies, manage research preferences and, soon, browse studies and express interest directly through the app.

"For a number of reasons, it allows patients to more easily see the research studies that they're participating in at OhioHealth and how to reach the study team for those studies," Sexton said. "It also gives patients the opportunity to participate in some of our studies that may not have to do with treatment and may be more observational research studies that don't require coming into the clinic but still provide really important data to advancing our medicine and our care."

Patients can access research information in MyChart by selecting the Research Studies section from the menu. There, they can choose whether they would like to be contacted about future research opportunities. Patients who opt out can still discuss clinical trials and research studies with their physicians.

OhioHealth is also introducing additional features that will allow patients to personalize their research interests and connect more directly with study opportunities.

"There are a few different ways that they can find this information on MyChart," Sexton said. "In the Research Studies section, they can either opt in to be contacted about research or opt out. There's also an information card on the main screen where patients can fill out their profile, indicate what kind of research they might be interested in and whether they want to opt in or out."

Sexton said future enhancements will make participation even more seamless.

"Soon there will be some studies that patients can actually search and select to be interested in," she said.

The new MyChart features represent another step forward in OhioHealth's mission to bring innovative care and cutting-edge research closer to patients, giving more people the opportunity to contribute to discoveries that may shape the future of healthcare.

To learn more about research opportunities at OhioHealth and how to update your research preferences in MyChart, visit the OhioHealth Research Institute webpage or log in to your OhioHealth MyChart account.

CareConnect creates a single, unified record for each patient, improving communication between care teams, enhancing safety and making it easier for patients to manage their health. With the new system, patients will have access to MyChart, a secure, online tool that allows them to view appointments, test results, billing information and more.

“This is a transformational moment for Southeastern Medical Center and the patients we serve,” said Wendy Elliott, president of OhioHealth Southeastern Medical Center. “CareConnect will improve the quality and safety of the care we provide by giving our clinical teams immediate access to a patient’s complete health history. It also empowers our patients to actively participate in their care like never before.”

CareConnect, powered by Epic—the nation’s leading electronic medical record platform—also connects patients and providers across OhioHealth’s entire system, as well as to other hospitals across the country that use Epic. More than 325 million patients nationwide have an Epic record.

“This technology upgrade ensures that Southeastern Medical Center providers are equipped with the very best tools to deliver exceptional, patient-centered care,” said Sandy Schubert, MD, associate vice president of clinical affairs at OhioHealth Southeastern Medical Center. “Having real-time access to a patient’s comprehensive health information means more timely diagnoses, safer transitions of care and more coordinated treatment plans. It’s a major step forward for our patients and our providers.”

The launch of CareConnect at Southeastern Medical Center is part of OhioHealth’s broader commitment to investing in technology that supports safe, effective and connected healthcare. 

Through MyChart, patients can easily manage appointments, communicate with their providers, view test results, pay bills, and request medication refills—all from their computer or smartphone. Caregivers and family members, with consent, can also be granted access to a loved one’s MyChart account, improving support for patients who may need assistance managing their health.

OhioHealth Southeastern Medical Center is the latest OhioHealth hospital to adopt CareConnect, helping the health system deliver a seamless patient experience across all its hospitals and outpatient locations.

OhioHealth MyChart is free, simple, secure and available online at mychart.ohiohealth.com or through the OhioHealth app.

Before the launch of CareConnect, patients were already using MyChart for results and messaging the providers, but they were not able to use it to schedule appointments or pay on accounts. This new system will allow patients to schedule appointments, see a provider virtually, and pay their medical bills all in one place. 

“The launch of CareConnect was part of the $12 million investment OhioHealth has committed to providing safe, effective care for our community, identifying patients who require screening and preventive care, improved treatment, diagnosis, decreased errors, and flexibility related to patient care,” said Paula Stabler, Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Director of Patient Care Services. 

OhioHealth MyChart is a free, simple, secure, and convenient way for patients to manage their healthcare. MyChart can be accessed online at mychart.ohiohealth.com or via the OhioHealth app https://mychart.ohiohealth.com/MyChart/. Patients still have the option of requesting medical records in-person at hospital registration. 

Van Wert Hospital is the latest of OhioHealth’s 15 hospitals to move to CareConnect, creating an integrated system. 
 

It’s time for your annual check-up with your primary care physician, so you schedule an appointment via your smart phone.

Your son comes down with a fever and cough, so you drive to the nearest urgent care facility, check in on your phone and immediately know your place in line.

Or, maybe you have a question for your physician about basic symptoms,

so you exchange a few emails or have a conversation over a live video visit — all while having electronic access to your entire medical record.

Sounds like the healthcare of the future, right?

These and other practical applications are part of a technology transformation that’s already underway at OhioHealth and helping the system embrace all things digital — in the not-so-distant future.

“Consumer expectations have changed,” says Staci Lucius, chief operating officer for OhioHealth Physician Group. “For OhioHealth to continue providing a great experience, we also have to change.”

To meet the new expectations of today’s digitally connected consumer, who is accustomed to having information at his or her fingertips, Staci says that OhioHealth needs to view the patient experience from a customer perspective.

“We’re addressing the need to provide different experiences and access to information and services without sacrificing any of the expectations patients have of us,” she says.

Salil Verma, senior director of information services, says his customer has always been the internal associate who is supporting the patient. Now his team is also thinking of the patient and ways to better serve them through technology.

“We’re beginning to unlock our technological potential and focus on the customer in new ways,” says Salil. “We get to create a ‘digital front door’ for OhioHealth that digitally demonstrates value across our three major pillars — customer experience, access and cost.”

Tools to fuel digital success

Staci cites the Find-a-Doc feature on the OhioHealth website as a basic yet intuitive tool that begins to address the needs of today’s consumer.

“It’s a search engine that allows patients to find any physician in our system by specialty or location,” says Staci. “It empowers them to learn more about a physician’s background and credentials to make an informed choice.”

For patients, it also will offer another window to access OhioHealth MyChart and the opportunity to schedule appointments online when that is functionally phased into Find-a-Doc over time.

“A MyChart account, which is fully accessible on a smartphone, gives patients with certain OhioHealth providers the ability to schedule and manage appointments online, request prescription refills, access lab results, send messages and ask questions of their physician’s office, and have full access to their electronic medical record,” says Staci.

Just as Find-a-Doc naturally points to engaging with MyChart, the informational depth of MyChart is opening up new opportunities for patient-physician engagement, including E-Visits and Video Visits.

“An E-Visit is more like an email experience,” says Sanford Melmed, MD, of OhioHealth Primary Care Physicians. “I give patients a series of questions to answer, review their answers and feedback, and then decide what action steps to take next.”

As part of an initial pilot project that launched in November 2015, E-Visits currently are available for 10 different patient symptoms, but the opportunity to add other diagnoses is limitless. The only qualifier is that patients must have had an office visit with their physician in the previous 12 months.

Dr. Melmed also is among the first physicians to administer a Video Visit and says it’s really no different than a standard office visit.

“I tell our staff not to assume anything at this point as we can do more in a Video Visit than you might think,” suggests Dr. Melmed. “For example, I can see a laceration on an arm in a Video Visit and determine if it’s gaping and needs stitches or if it just needs some wound sealing glue and a bandage.”

The latter presents a significant time and cost savings over a patient going to the Emergency Department.

Dr. Melmed believes that E-Visits and Video Visits are a win for both physicians and patients because they do more than provide an innovative experience. They also address the important issue of access.

“Getting to the doctor can be challenging given work schedules, access to transportation and for patients who have mobility issues,” says Staci. “E-Visits and Video Visits can help remove those barriers to care.”

A digital perspective rooted in people

OhioHealth’s digital transformation began a few years ago when CareConnect was selected as the single technology platform for all of OhioHealth, ensuring a single electronic medical record for each patient.

“None of this would be possible or even matter without CareConnect,” says Salil. “With CareConnect as the foundation, we can supplement the overall customer experience with these digital tools to make it really cool and applicable.”

Determining those tools will take team insights and careful listening to the problems long before they become cool.

“It’s important that we work directly with customers to understand their needs so that our digital solutions are impactful for them,” says Nate Rogers, vice president of marketing communications at OhioHealth. “Their challenges present opportunities for us to be creative. We get to test and validate if our solution meets their needs.”

As Nate tells it, digital engagement alone is not the answer. It is part of a more complete solution.

“What’s really important is that these digital solutions connect customers to our care providers — meaning it all comes back to our people,” says Nate.

Salil references the history lessons of pioneering companies such as Borders and Kodak that were slow to engage customers digitally as motivation for why OhioHealth must change.

“Technology is so pervasive. It’s not about whether we need to change, but rather what will happen if we don’t change,” he says.

From a digital experience standpoint, Staci says we’re ready to turn the keys over to patients. And if Dr. Melmed’s virtual patient experiences are any indication of how going digital will enhance the patient experience, then expect more digital innovation on OhioHealth’s horizon.