Navigating Your Health: How to Use the NVRA Patient Portal Effectively

Patient portals are changing healthcare in astounding ways. Before the age of patient portals, patients would have to either phone their doctor or make an appointment to get their results or to ask questions. Today, patients save a tremendous amount of time and improve the quality of their care by using patient portals.

Patient portals empower patients by giving them access to their medical records, giving them more control over their healthcare decisions. This is especially important to patients who have chronic or life-shortening illnesses.

Research shows that patients with access to a patient portal tend to be more satisfied with their care. Other research shows that patients become more engaged with their healthcare when they have access to a patient portal.

They also help healthcare providers by boosting efficiency, enhancing engagement, minimizing the need for phone calls, and generally making administrative tasks easier and faster.

Convenient Access to Patient Records

Patient portals offer a streamlined and secure method for patients to access their health records at any time. By logging into their accounts, patients can view their medical history, and test results, facilitating better personal health management. This easy access empowers patients to stay informed about their health status, monitor ongoing treatments, and prepare more effectively for medical appointments.

Improved Communication with Patients

Communication between healthcare professionals and patients is essential for a good outcome, and patient portals facilitate this communication. Patients can use portals to confirm appointment dates, for example, review pre-testing instructions, and to learn the results of their tests.

Written communication is especially important. Going to the doctor can be so overwhelming that details can be hard to remember, particularly when the doctor shares test results, which can contain a large amount of medical jargon and technical information. Research shows that patients forget 40 to 80 percent of the medical information they learn during office visits – and almost half of the information they retain is incorrect. Being able to review the information in written form at a later date, and in a less stressful setting, can help patients absorb information.

How to Access the Patient Portal

Creating an Account

• Go to https://www.nvranet.com/patient-portal
• Click on the blue box that says “Access Your Patient Portal”; a sign-in box will appear
• Click on Request an Account; a new page will appear
• Fill in the required information and click on “Request Account”; a new page will appear, informing you that you will receive a confirmation email within 3 business days
• Follow the instructions on the confirmation email

Logging In

Once you have created an account, you can log in.

• Go to https://www.nvranet.com/patient-portal
• Click on the blue box that says “Access Your Patient Portal”; a sign-in box will appear
• Enter your email address and password then click on LOGIN; the patient portal will appear

Navigating the Portal Interface

Once you have created an account, navigating the patient portal is easy. The interface clearly labels the various sections, such as test results, upcoming appointments, payments, secure messaging, and more.

Features of the Patient Portal

The NVRA patient portal offers a wide variety of features to improve your patient experience. Once you log in, you can:

• Pre-register for upcoming appointments
• Confirm appointments
• Sign up for appointment reminders and alerts
• Access your images and results
• Online payments
• Ask questions through secure email

Ensuring Security and Privacy

To make sure that your patient portal is private and secure, NVRA hosts its patient portal on a secure connection and only allows access through the encrypted, password-protected logon software.

To keep your information safe, only log on from a home computer or a secure phone. Be sure to log out and close the browser window when you are done. Never share your username or password with anyone.

HIPAA-Compliant Access and Data Protection Measures

NVRA also meets the requirements set by HIPAA, a federal law that sets strict rules for the privacy and security of patient portals.

To be HIPAA-compliant, patient portals must ensure that all of the protected health information (PHI) in the record is secure and accessible only by the patient or other authorized personnel. This includes implementing measures such as encryption, access controls, and auditing.

Maintaining Confidentiality of Patient Information

Patient confidentiality is essential for quality care. To keep your records safe, we follow best practices for safeguarding patient portals. Specifically, we securely handle and store electronic health records in the most secure ways possible, carefully handle paper documents regarding patients, and dispose of outdated information appropriately.