An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

News | April 7, 2021

MHS GENESIS Patient Portal Expands New Features

By MHS Communications

MHS GENESIS' patient portal is rapidly increasing in size, capability, and usability.

Features gaining in popularity include a health library, provided by corporate partner Healthwise, said Air Force Lt. Col. John DaLomba, solution owner for the MHS GENESIS patient portal, at the Defense Health Agency (DHA) in Falls Church, Virginia.

"People can look up pretty much anything that they want" such as knee pain or diabetes, he said. "It's really quite good, and quite extensive."

But the portal's "best feature, in my opinion, is the secure messaging," said DaLomba, who is also an occupational therapist. "You can exchange secure information with your provider or provider's team, and all the communication takes place within the electronic health record program. You have exactly what was conveyed - there's no opportunity to misconstrue what was typed in."

Older MHS GENESIS communication systems were limited to a member's primary care physician. The new portal system allows communication with an empaneled provider or specialty clinic and their teams of professionals with authorized access. That last part is important so that communications go to a "message pool," and don't just sit unopened in an inbox if a provider is unavailable.

The tool allows communication with certain civilian health care professionals, too, and decreases the need to use a fax machine, DaLomba said. He added that there are more new features coming for the patient portal but couldn't give an exact timeline because of the need to work out licensing and acquisition periods.

Meanwhile there is an online scheduling capability for primary care physicians, and patients have the opportunity to view (and print) a lot of information from visit summaries and clinical notes, DaLomba said. Tests and measurements can also be viewed, though there is a built-in 36-hour delay for radiology and lab results, enabling doctors to view the results and prepare to communicate what they mean to the patient, particularly if there is an issue to discuss. For COVID-19 testing results, however, this delay has been removed.

DaLomba has used the MHS patient portal as a provider as recently as last year when he came to the DHA. And he had plenty of experience with the Military Heath System's legacy documentation efforts - two separate systems for inpatient and outpatient records. MHS GENESIS, which he started using at Travis Air Force Base in California in September 2019, incorporates both.

"It was a big change for everybody to get used to," he said. "Were there challenges? Of course there were. We were trained and there was plenty of support available. But it went well."

MHS GENESIS has been rolling out in waves around the military; eventually the entire MHS will transition from the legacy platforms. "It's a very complex deployment schedule, and it's mapped out through the next several years," DaLomba said. The first wave came in 2017, at sites in the Pacific Northwest.

 

Military health personnel looking at a laptop computer screen
Navy Cmdr. (Dr.) Catherine Soteras (right), Department Head for the Main Operating Room, Directorate of Surgical Services at Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms, California, during MHS Genesis mock “go-live” training in September 2020 (Photo by: David Marks, Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms).

E-visits

Another feature on the patient portal is a COVID-19 "e-visit," a structured, secure screening initiated by patients, which includes a questionnaire that uses "branching logic" (a method that creates a custom pathway in a survey, based on a user's responses). DaLomba noted it also creates a "disposition" for the patient, letting them know if they should report to the emergency room, contact their primary care physician, or take lesser measures.

A report generated by the e-visit is sent to the physician and the team viewing such reports, and a COVID-19 test might then be recommended.

That feature was added early in April 2020, and "has gotten really good utilization," DaLomba said, adding there have been about 4,000 such e-visits. "It was designed to assist, and ... to decrease the number of people traveling to the military (medical) treatment facility (MTF)."

Further, that tool made it possible to make changes to the pharmacy prescription activation process. A visit to a typical military pharmacy involves a two-step process to get medications. First, you check into the pharmacy to "activate" your prescription, and only then is the prescription filled. But with COVID-19, many pharmacies adopted a phone activation process to decrease foot traffic, DaLomba explained. From there, a new secure message tool for online activation was developed (also in spring 2020) for the patient portal, though not all pharmacies have adopted this feature.

Another implement in the patient portal kit bag that's coming: an online clipboard, that will enable the MTF staff to send certain paperwork to a patient to fill out before an appointment, which could include a health history, a questionnaire, a behavioral health checklist.

The patient portal, though mobile friendly for iOS and Android, does not yet have an app to accompany it. DaLomba said an app is under discussion at the moment.

The improvements come on the heels of MHS GENESIS's new "MassVax" program, a large digital record of COVID-19 vaccinations administered to service members and their families that will more accurately track and ensure that the Department of Defense patient population has received COVID-19 vaccinations.

Provider wearing white lab coat flips through papers with charts on clipboard.

The HIPAA Privacy Rule and Military Health Care:...

News
Mar. 21, 2024

Are you the parent or legal sponsor of a minor child? If so, there are things you should know about what...
Read More
Collage image that displays the cover of the TRICARE Choices in the United States Handbook in front of other TRICARE handbooks.

Get To Know Your TRICARE Options in the U.S.

News
Mar. 20, 2024

Are you new to TRICARE and wondering what your health, dental, and vision coverage options are? If you live in...
Read More
Infographic including stick figure typing on laptop and a speech bubble with prescription bottle. Text reads "Military Health System MHS GENESIS - Refills are here!"

New Feature of MHS GENESIS Patient Portal Allows...

News
Mar. 15, 2024

The Defense Health Agency has launched a new feature that lets you request prescription refills through MHS...
Read More
Uniformed service member smiles and stands with wife and daughter at promotion ceremony.

Maintaining Your Military Health Records Overseas

News
Mar. 12, 2024

No matter where you live, it’s important for your electronic health record to be complete and up to date. For...
Read More
A doctor points to an educational display while speaking to a patient.

DOD Amends Assisted Reproductive Services Policy...

News
Mar. 11, 2024

DOD amended its policy covering assisted reproductive technology services to expand access for severely ill...
Read More
Woman looks at smartphone

See What’s in Store for the TRICARE Pharmacy Pro...

News
Mar. 07, 2024

The most recent TRICARE pharmacy contract, known as TRICARE Pharmacy 5th Generation (TPharm5), started on Jan...
Read More
Join our next TRICARE Webinar - Using Your TRICARE Pharmacy Benefits on March 14, 2024 from 1 to 2 p.m. ET.

Learn About TRICARE Pharmacy Benefits at March 1...

News
Feb. 29, 2024

Are you making the most of your prescription drug coverage? Have you heard about changes to the process for...
Read More
A prescription bottle is filled

Change Healthcare Cyberattack Impact on MHS Phar...

News
Feb. 22, 2024

A reported cyberattack on the nation’s largest commercial prescription processor, Change Healthcare, has...
Read More

March 21, 2024

The HIPAA Privacy Rule and Military Health Care: What Parents of Minors Need To Know

Are you the parent or legal sponsor of a minor child? If so, there are things you should know about what access you have to your child’s health care records and choices. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Privacy Final Rule protects minors’ privacy concerning their health care choices and treatment.

March 20, 2024

Get To Know Your TRICARE Options in the U.S.

Are you new to TRICARE and wondering what your health, dental, and vision coverage options are? If you live in the United States, the TRICARE Choices in the United States Handbook is a great place to start.

March 15, 2024

New Feature of MHS GENESIS Patient Portal Allows Prescription Refills

The Defense Health Agency has launched a new feature that lets you request prescription refills through MHS GENESIS.

March 12, 2024

Maintaining Your Military Health Records Overseas

No matter where you live, it’s important for your electronic health record to be complete and up to date. For TRICARE Prime Overseas and TRICARE Prime Remote Overseas beneficiaries, there are processes that help make this possible.

March 11, 2024

DOD Amends Assisted Reproductive Services Policy for Severely Ill and Injured Active Duty Service Members

DOD amended its policy covering assisted reproductive technology services to expand access for severely ill and injured active duty service members.

March 7, 2024

See What’s in Store for the TRICARE Pharmacy Program in 2024

The most recent TRICARE pharmacy contract, known as TRICARE Pharmacy 5th Generation (TPharm5), started on Jan. 1, 2023. Since then, you may have experienced some enhancements to how you get your prescription drugs. In 2024, you can continue to expect improved access to pharmacy benefit services through the TRICARE Pharmacy Program.

Feb. 29, 2024

Learn About TRICARE Pharmacy Benefits at March 14 Webinar

Are you making the most of your prescription drug coverage? Have you heard about changes to the process for getting specialty drugs? Join us for a webinar, “Using Your TRICARE Pharmacy Benefits,” on Thursday, March 14, from 1 to 2 p.m. ET.

Feb. 22, 2024

Change Healthcare Cyberattack Impact on MHS Pharmacy Operations

A reported cyberattack on the nation’s largest commercial prescription processor, Change Healthcare, has affected military clinics and hospitals nationwide. On Feb. 21, 2024, Change Healthcare disconnected its systems to protect patient information. This is impacting all military pharmacies worldwide and some retail pharmacies nationally.

Feb. 14, 2024

Preventing TRICARE Fraud and Abuse Is Everyone’s Responsibility

Fraud and abuse can target your TRICARE medical, pharmacy, and dental coverage. If you think someone is committing fraud or abuse related to your TRICARE benefits, you should report it.

Feb. 6, 2024

Learn About TRICARE Pharmacy Network Changes for Specialty Drugs

The TRICARE Pharmacy Program is improving how we manage specialty drugs. Starting March 1, Accredo will provide specialty drugs and enhanced clinical services if you fill TRICARE-defined specialty prescriptions with TRICARE Home Delivery. Accredo will also stay in the TRICARE network as an in-network retail pharmacy.