Many St. Rose Health Center patients have strongly indicated they want complete and convenient access to their medical records. And their voices have been heard.

The result is called “My St. Rose Patient Portal,” which provides direct online access to personal health information.

“Our brand new portal allows patients access to their medical records anytime it is convenient for them,” said Mark Mingenback, corporate health consultant. “We have been receiving many requests from patients who want more control of their personal health and wellness management.

“We listen to what the community tells us,” Mingenback added. “And with the guidance of Hays Medical Center, we have been able to accommodate.”

HaysMed and Centura Health co-own St. Rose.

While many patients want online access to their own records, caregivers also want to streamline information to better care for loved ones.

“This is especially true for adult children who are caring for parents or grandparents,” Mingenback explained. “This patient portal will go a long way to making their lives easier as they care for family and friends.”

For example, he noted, the portal allows authorized patients and caregivers immediate access to such information as test results and changes in medication.

“In addition,” he said, “information about doctors’ appointments and immunization status are right at your fingertips. You can now see the same information your doctor sees.”

When new information becomes available, participants receive an email alerting them to the changes. The added convenience is less phone tag with doctors’ offices about common questions related to medications, diagnostic-test results and appointments.

“Chances are the portal will allow you to have better recall of your health-care plan,” Mingenback noted. “And you may be more likely to take medications as prescribed.”

It virtually eliminates delays and the possibility of misunderstanding information received by phone, he elaborated.

“The next time you have a doctor’s appointment at St. Rose, you will receive guidance about how to enroll in patient portal,” Mingenback said. “Once you get home, you can visit the website to complete the enrollment.”

That website is www.strosehc.com/mystrose . A patient or caregiver must be 18 years old to enroll in the optional program.

Mingenback emphasized the security features of patient portal.

“The information is housed in an encrypted server and is highly secure,” he said. “It also has a redundant back-up system, and is user and password protected. Patient portal meets all governmental requirements regarding privacy.”

St. Rose physicians and other health-care providers have been participating in on-site training for patient portal.

Kim Befort, HaysMed module coordinator, said the new system is a great way for patients to take a more active role in their health care.

“We have had an overwhelming response to our HaysMed patient portal and people continue to sign up every day,” Befort commented. “Thousands of people are taking advantage of all its benefits.

“Patients are finding they can communicate more effectively with their physicians’ offices as well,” Befort elaborated. “They can submit questions through the secure messaging center and receive their physicians’ responses.”

St. Rose specializes in primary care, prevention and wellness. Services include St. Rose Family Medicine, Convenient Care Walk-in Clinic, Great Bend Internists, imaging, infusion clinic, WellnessWorks, one-day surgical procedures, Golden Belt Home Health & Hospice and a comprehensive Specialty Clinic. St. Rose is co-owned by Hays Medical Center and Centura Health.