 |
|
||
Enrollment Questions
Messaging Service Questions
Viewing Test Results
PAMFOnline For My Family
After I Have Enrolled
Technical Questions
A: PAMFOnline is an e-health service offered to PAMF patients. It enables you to securely use the Internet to help manage and receive information about your health.
With PAMFOnline, you can use the Internet to:
With PAMFOnline Messaging, you can:
Q. What is the cost of PAMFOnline?
A: PAMFOnline is free. PAMFOnline Messaging is available for a $60 annual subscription fee.
Q. Who can sign up for PAMFOnline?
A: All PAMF patients, age 18 and older.
A: To enroll, download, complete and submit the PAMFOnline Release of Information request. PAMFOnline will mail you an access code that will enable you to login and create your own user ID and password. OR ask to sign up during your next office visit.
Q. How do I contact PAMFOnline?
A: You can e-mail us at pamfonline@pamf.org. You can also leave a phone message at (650) 330-5858.
Q. How do I subscribe to PAMFOnline Messaging?
When enrolling in PAMFOnline select the Messaging option on the Release of Information request and submit your $60 payment. OR if you are currently a PAMFOnline user, log in as usual and click on "Subscribe." You will be prompted to submit your credit card information.
Q. Which physicians participate in PAMFOnline?
A: Currently all departments use PAMFOnline with the exception of Psychiatry and Travel Medicine.
Q. When can I expect a reply to messages I send to my doctor or advice nurse?
A: You will generally receive an answer within 1-2 business days. PAMFOnline should not be used for urgent situations. Please call PAMF if the situation requires immediate attention or dial 911 if it is an emergency.
Q. Why did my question go to an advice nurse or medical assistant?
A: Unless your doctor authorized direct messaging, all questions requiring clinical attention are routed through PAMFOnline advice nurses or your physician's medical assistant and forwarded to your physician if needed.
Q. Why do you charge for the Messaging Service?
A: Charging for PAMFOnline Messaging is
a matter about which we have had much discussion internally. The messaging service should be used for
medical advice questions requiring medical decision making. You can send in a message (a convenience
for you as you have access 24 hours a day, seven days a week from anywhere with Internet access) or
come in for a visit. Our providers set aside patient care time to answer these messages, and charging
a nominal fee for this service helps to cover the cost of the service. For routine, non-medical questions,
such as appointment requests or billing inquiries, you can send us a message free of charge.
We believe that PAMFOnline is a useful service to our patients and that is why we decided to invest in
it. After considering many options, we decided on a subscription method at a fee that we felt was
reasonable and affordable.
Q. When will I see my test results in PAMFOnline?
Test results are released to PAMFOnline upon review by your physician and/or after 5 days.
Q. Why can't I view tests ordered by non-PAMF physicians in PAMFOnline?
According to California AB 2831, Section 123148 (b) (2) regarding the electronic release of test results, we cannot share test results ordered by non-PAMF physicians via PAMFOnline without a written authorization even though the tests may have been completed at a PAMF facility. To obtain written authorization, please download this form and obtain your physician's written authorization OR send us the physician's name, office address, phone and fax number via PAMFOnline secure patient message.
Q. Why can't I view certain tests in PAMFOnline?
Due to California Health & Safety Code Section 123148, medical providers are prohibited from releasing the following test results via PAMFOnline even though a patient may consent to their release:
Q. What if I have questions about my test results?
If you have questions or concerns regarding your test results, contact the provider who ordered the test.
Q. Can I view a family member's (e.g., my child, spouse, parent) health record in PAMFOnline?
A: Currently, Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) patients can now give permission to another adult to access their medical information via the Internet. This new service, called Proxy Access allows spouses, adult children and other home caregivers to more easily help the patient manage his or her health care needs. A parent, stepparent, legal guardian or conservator can also request online access to their children under 12 years of age. Click Proxy Access for more information.
Q. Can I ask questions regarding a family member from my PAMFOnline account?
A: PAMFOnline offers direct access to your personal health record. In the current system, exchange of medical information about another individual would result in having information about that individual placed in YOUR health record. This information would not appear in the correct health record potentially jeopardizing medical care.
Q. Can my spouse and I share one PAMFOnline account?
A: No, due to the reasons stated above. Each adult must sign and submit a Release of Information request and establish their own PAMFOnline account.
Q. How do we sign up for Proxy Access?
A.
Q. Why have a Proxy Access Program?
A. State and federal patient privacy laws make it illegal for PAMF to provide medical information to another person without written authorization. To comply with these laws, we may not allow someone to access a PAMFOnline account directly, even if that person is acting on behalf of another. Proxy Access offers a legal way for us to give a designated representative access to online medical information.
Q. Who is eligible for Proxy Access for Children?
A. All PAMF patients less than 12 years of age. The designated proxy representative (PR) must also be over the age of 18 but does not have to be a PAMF patient. The PR must be a parent, stepparent, legal guardian or conservator.
Q. Can there be more than one designated proxy representative?
A. Children may have one proxy representative. The same person can serve as a representative for more than one child.
Q. Can Proxy Access be used for children between 12 and 17 years of age?
A. Not at the current time. Although, a program allowing reduced access is under review and may be implemented some time in the future.
Q. Who will benefit from PAMFOnline Proxy Access for children?
A. Proxy Access is designed to ease the responsibility of overseeing health care for your children. At any time of the day, from anywhere in the world, you can use PAMFOnline to access clinical guidelines, view and print vaccination records, medication instructions and other information that can help you better manage your child’s medical needs.
Q. When is proxy access revoked?
A. Proxy Access is revoked when:
Q. Can I submit just one request form for my entire family?
A. No. Please submit one request form for each child. These forms are scanned into the electronic medical record and due to privacy reasons must contain only the individual child's information. For requesting proxy access to another adult family member's medical record such as a spouse, please click here.
A. You can fax the forms to (650) 565-4431 or
mail
to:
Palo Alto Medical Foundation
ATTN: PAMFOnline Proxy
P.O.
Box 51477
Palo Alto, CA 94301-9877
Q. Is there a family discount for PAMFOnline messaging subscriptions?
A. For our discounted family plan (not yet available online), click here for more information.
Q. I forgot my password. Can you send it to me via e-mail?
A: Click on the forgot password link and fill in the form. A new access code will be mailed to you via U.S. Postal Mail. Log in as a first time user and your current user ID will be filled in for you. You then will be able to create a new password. Privacy and technical issues prevent us from e-mailing your password to you.
A: Processing time generally takes 1-2 weeks. Missing information (especially a signature) can significantly delay processing your request. If you have not received your access code via U.S. Postal Mail within a reasonable time frame, contact us at pamfonline@pamf.org.
Q. Can you send me a new access code as I have lost it, let it expire or did not receive it?
A: If you have lost, did not receive or let your access code expire, contact us at pamfonline@pamf.org and a new code or duplicate code will be sent via U.S. Postal Mail. Privacy issues prevent us from e-mailing a new access code to you.
Q. Where can I update my personal information (e.g., home address, e-mail or change my password)?
A: Log into PAMFOnline. Go to the My Personal Information section on the left menu and select the appropriate link.
A: PAMFOnline uses the latest 128-bit SSL encryption technology with no caching to automatically encrypt your session with PAMFOnline. Unlike conventional e-mail, all PAMFOnline messaging is done while you are securely logged on to our website. Additionally, you set you own user ID and password. All medical information is stored safely behind the firewall in PAMF's electronic health record system. Read more by clicking on our security and privacy link.
Q. What is your Privacy Policy?
A: PAMFOnline is owned and operated by PAMF and is fully compliant with federal and state laws pertaining to your privacy. Your name and e-mail address will be treated with the same care and privacy given your health records and will never be sold or leased by PAMF. Read more by clicking on our security and privacy link.
Q. What do I need to use PAMFOnline?
A: You need access to a computer connected to the Internet. For Macintosh OS 8, 9 or X, use Netscape 4.6.1 or Internet Explorer 5.1 or newer. For PCs, use Internet Explorer 5.5 or Netscape 6.2 or newer. For AOL, use 5.0 or newer. The browser must support 128-bit encryption. For best results, use the newest browser version your computer will support. We recommend using Internet Explorer.
Q. My access code does not work, what should I do?
A: For your security, your access code expires after 30 days and is no longer valid after the first time you use it. If you still have problems, Contact Us.
Q. Is my access code my user ID?
A: No, your access code is not your user ID or password. You will use this code only once to log into PAMFOnline. (The code will expire after you have used it or after 30 days). You will then establish your own unique user ID and password.
Q. When I try to login, PAMFOnline keeps telling me "login unsuccessful."
A: Make sure your CapsLock key is not on. The password field is case sensitive. Make sure you do not enter extra spaces in either the PAMFOnline ID or password boxes and try again. If you have forgotten your User ID or password, click on the forgot password link and fill in the form. A new access code will be mailed to you via U.S. Postal Mail that will allow you to reset your password.
Q. I was typing a message to my doctor and I was logged out of PAMFOnline! What happened?
A: PAMFOnline wants to protect your privacy. While logged into PAMFOnline, if your keyboard remains idle for 20 minutes or more, you will be automatically logged out of PAMFOnline. Any information you have typed will be lost. We recommend that you do not leave your PAMFOnline account open if called away. Always log out.