Patient Portal Terms of Use Policy and Procedures & Patient Agreement to Abide by Terms of Use
Howard University Hospital Diabetes Treatment Center
Introduction
Howard University Hospital Diabetes Treatment Center offers secure viewing and communication through our Diabetes Management Patient Portal as a service to patients who wish to view parts of their records, communicate with our staff, and submit certain requests electronically. Secure messaging can be a valuable communications tool, but it has certain risks and limitations.
By reviewing and accepting this Agreement to Abide by the Terms of Use, you accept those risks and agree to follow the Terms of Use, Policies, and Procedures described below.
I. Terms of Use - General Policies and Procedures
Emergency and Urgent Communications
DO NOT use the Patient Portal to communicate an emergency, an urgent issue, or time-sensitive medical concern. The Patient Portal is not monitored continuously and should not be used when immediate medical attention is needed.
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately or go to the nearest emergency room. If you believe your issue is urgent, call the office directly or follow the emergency instructions provided by your healthcare team.
The Patient Portal should also not be used for highly sensitive matters that you believe require direct discussion with your provider or care team, unless you have been instructed to do so. Examples may include certain mental health concerns, HIV-related issues, work excuses, disability forms, or other matters that may require special handling.
Proper Subject Matter
Use the Patient Portal for non-urgent medical questions, lab results, appointment reminders or requests, medication refill requests, referral requests, routine follow-up questions, and other appropriate non-emergency matters.
Use the Patient Portal to update your demographic information, including your address, telephone numbers, and e-mail address.
Be sure that all information you enter is true, accurate, complete, and updated whenever there is a change.
Be concise when typing a message so that staff can understand and route your request appropriately.
The Patient Portal Has the Following Functions
Send and receive secure messages for non-urgent needs.
View certain lab results and portions of your health information.
View and submit updates to your health information.
Request a referral.
Request an appointment.
Request prescription refills.
Update your demographic information, such as address, phone numbers, and e-mail address.
Receive patient reminders for routine health maintenance appointments, education classes, or other appropriate notices.
Access learning materials and links to reputable educational resources.
Communications May Become a Part of the Medical Record
Communication through the Patient Portal may be included in your permanent Diabetes Treatment Center medical record. This may include secure messages, requests, attachments, submitted forms, questionnaires, and related responses from staff.
Because portal communications may become part of the medical record, they should be accurate, appropriate, and related to your care.
Privacy
All messages sent through the Patient Portal are intended to be transmitted through a secure, encrypted connection. E-mails from you to any staff member about health-related matters should be sent through the Patient Portal rather than regular e-mail, because regular e-mail may not be secure.
All e-mail address lists will be kept confidential and will not be shared with other parties, unless necessary to carry out Patient Portal operations, support system upgrades, comply with legal requirements, or as otherwise permitted by law.
A variety of healthcare and administrative personnel, such as physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, registered nurses, certified medical assistants, clerks, scheduling staff, technical support staff, and other authorized personnel, may be involved in reading, processing, routing, and replying to your messages and information submitted through the Patient Portal. This is similar to how telephone communication is handled.
Staff members other than your physician may receive your messages and route them to your doctor, nurse, or front desk staff, as necessary.
There is no need to notify us that you have read a message unless you have a question or need further information.
If you have concerns, please ask to speak with your nurse, the practice administrator, or the Howard University Hospital Privacy Officer at 1-800-654-0323.
Response Time
For all communication that occurs through the Patient Portal, reasonable efforts will be made to respond to e-mail and secure message inquiries within one (1) business day, but no later than three (3) business days, after receipt.
Response time may be longer if the Patient Portal service is interrupted for maintenance, upgrades, emergency repairs, high message volume, provider availability, or events beyond our control.
The Patient Portal is checked during our hours of operation, which are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays and days when the office is closed due to inclement weather or other circumstances.
You are encouraged to use the Patient Portal at any time; however, messages submitted after-hours are held until the next business day.
If secure messaging is not accessible for any reason, we will attempt to provide notice or an automatic response as soon as reasonably possible.
Changes to These Policies and Procedures
Policies and Procedures and Terms of Use may be modified from time to time.
You may be required to agree to the Terms of Use when you log into the Patient Portal or when updated terms are presented.
If you continue to use the Patient Portal after updated terms are made available, you will be deemed to have agreed to follow the modified Policies and Procedures.
If you do not agree with the modified Policies and Procedures, you must notify us that you no longer wish to use the Patient Portal.
Medical Advice and Information Disclaimer
The Patient Portal may from time to time include information posted by Howard University Hospital Diabetes Treatment Center in the form of news, opinions, announcements, educational materials, or links to outside resources. Such information should not be construed as specific medical advice or instruction for your individual condition.
Nothing in the Patient Portal is intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment. Information posted on the Patient Portal should not be considered complete and should not be relied upon to suggest a course of treatment for a particular individual.
You should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. You should never disregard medical advice or delay seeking medical advice because of something you read on the Patient Portal.
When information is provided by a third party, Howard University Hospital Diabetes Treatment Center will make reasonable efforts to identify that the information is authored by a third party. Howard University Hospital Diabetes Treatment Center does not warrant, expressly or by implication, the factual accuracy, completeness, reliability, or usefulness of third-party information and does not adopt such statements as its own.
II. Terms of Use - Patient Portal Guidelines and Security
How the Secure Patient Portal Works
The Patient Portal is a webpage and online service that uses encryption and other security measures designed to help keep unauthorized persons from reading communications, information, or attachments while they are being transmitted.
Secure messages and information are designed to be read only by someone who knows the authorized username and correct password, and who satisfies any additional authentication requirements that may be used by the Patient Portal.
How to Participate in Our Patient Portal
Once your Agreement to Abide by the Terms of Use is completed, we will assist you with registering for the first time, if assistance is needed. You will create or be assigned a user name and password.
After registration, you will be able to log in, view your message box, see new or old messages, and use the features available to you.
Because the connection between your computer or device and the website uses secure encryption technology, you can read or view information on your computer or device, while the information remains encrypted during transmission between the website and your computer or device.
Availability of the Patient Portal
Access to this secure Patient Portal is an optional service and may be suspended or terminated at any time and for any reason, including security concerns, maintenance, system upgrades, misuse, or operational needs.
If service is suspended or terminated, we will notify you as promptly as we reasonably can, when appropriate and feasible.
How to Use the Patient Portal
Request access from Howard University Hospital Diabetes Treatment Center during your office visit or through another approved process. To register, you must generally be at least eighteen (18) years old unless access is provided through a parent, legal guardian, or authorized representative in accordance with applicable law and policy.
Review the Patient Portal Terms of Use and sign or electronically accept the Agreement to Abide by the Patient Portal Terms of Use.
After you have accepted the agreement, a member of the Diabetes Treatment Center staff may assist you with creating a login user name and password. You will be provided the website address and will use your login credentials to access the portal.
Once logged into the Patient Portal, you should go to your account settings and change your user name and password, when available, to something only you will know. This is essential to help make sure your information remains secure and private.
Available Components
Homepage: Allows you to access available portal functions and may provide links to Howard University Hospital resources, medical record access features, educational information, or other healthcare information.
Secure Inbox: Allows you to send and receive secure messages to and from our staff. You may also use this area to request referrals, ask routine questions, or make suggestions on how we can improve the site.
Appointments: Allows you to request an appointment through the secure message system and receive appointment reminders when available.
Prescription Refills: Allows you to request prescription refills. A member of your care team may inform you when the request is complete or provide instructions to check the portal regarding its status.
Calendar: Allows you to view dates for diabetes education group classes, community events, or other available events.
Learning: Provides information and links to help you learn more about diabetes through reputable sources.
Protecting Your Private Health Information and Risks
This method of communication and viewing information through the Patient Portal is designed to help prevent unauthorized parties from being able to access or read messages while they are in transmission by using encryption and other security measures.
Other security measures are used to protect information maintained within the Patient Portal site. The website for the Patient Portal may display a trusted site certificate or other browser security indicator.
Keeping messages secure depends on additional factors. The secure message must reach the correct e-mail address or account, and only the authorized individual should be able to access it. We need you to make sure that we have your correct e-mail address and that we are informed if it changes.
You must keep track of who has access to your Patient Portal account so that only you or someone you have authorized can see messages or other information in your Patient Portal.
You should protect your Patient Portal login information from anyone whom you do not want to access your Patient Portal account. Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your login information or if you believe your login is no longer confidential.
We will not answer questions or send protected health information by regular e-mail. Health-related e-mail communication should be handled through the secure and encrypted Patient Portal site.
Even with these security measures, we cannot guarantee the confidentiality, security, availability, or integrity of Patient Portal information. To the fullest extent allowed by law, you agree not to hold Howard University Hospital, its physician practices, physicians, providers, employees, contractors, or staff liable for network infractions, third-party failures, or unauthorized access beyond their reasonable control.
III. Data Retention, Account Deactivation, and Deletion
Data Retention
Portal messages, health information, forms, documents, refill requests, referral requests, appointment requests, attachments, and other communications submitted or received through the Patient Portal may be retained as part of your medical record or as part of the Patient Portal system records.
Medical records and related communications are retained in accordance with federal law, District of Columbia law, healthcare record retention requirements, accreditation requirements, and Howard University Hospital policies.
Because certain portal communications may become part of your legal medical record, they generally cannot be deleted simply because a patient requests deletion or closes a portal account.
Account Deactivation Does Not Delete the Medical Record
You may request that your Patient Portal account be deactivated. Deactivation of portal access means that you may no longer be able to log into the Patient Portal, but it does not delete your medical record or information that Howard University Hospital is required or permitted to retain.
Closing, suspending, or terminating your Patient Portal account does not remove clinical documentation, billing information, audit records, access logs, security logs, or other records that must be retained for treatment, payment, healthcare operations, legal, compliance, security, or recordkeeping purposes.
System Logs, Backups, and Archival Copies
The Patient Portal may maintain system logs, access records, transaction histories, security logs, audit logs, and backup copies. These records may be used for security monitoring, troubleshooting, compliance, auditing, fraud prevention, system integrity, and legal purposes.
Backup or archival copies may remain in secure systems for a period of time even after information is no longer visible in the active Patient Portal or after an account is deactivated.
Correction of Information
If you believe information in your medical record is incorrect, you may request that it be reviewed or amended through the appropriate Howard University Hospital process. A request to amend or correct information is different from a request to delete information.
Howard University Hospital will handle such requests in accordance with applicable law and institutional policy.
Secure Disposal
When information is no longer required to be retained and is eligible for disposal, Howard University Hospital will use reasonable methods designed to securely destroy, delete, or dispose of information in accordance with applicable laws and policies.
IV. Patient Acknowledgment and Agreement
Patient Agreement
By accessing or using the Patient Portal, I acknowledge and agree that I have read and understand these Patient Portal Terms of Use, Policies and Procedures, and Patient Agreement.
I understand that the Patient Portal is not for emergencies or urgent medical issues.
I understand that portal communications may become part of my permanent medical record.
I understand that medical records and certain portal records may be retained as required by law and Howard University Hospital policy and may not be deleted when I close or deactivate my portal account.
I agree to protect my username, password, and other login credentials and to notify Howard University Hospital immediately if I believe my account has been compromised.
I agree to provide accurate and updated information and to use the Patient Portal only for appropriate, non-urgent healthcare and administrative communication.
I understand that no electronic communication system can be guaranteed completely secure, and I accept the risks described in this Agreement.
If I do not agree to these Terms of Use, I understand that I should not use the Patient Portal.
Contact Information
For questions regarding the Patient Portal, privacy concerns, or suspected unauthorized access, please contact Howard University Hospital Diabetes Treatment Center or the Howard University Hospital Privacy Officer at 1-800-654-0323.
For medical emergencies, call 911 immediately.