Open Notes

MyChart
Release of Notes, Lab and Test Results

Hackensack Meridian Health leverages the technology in MyChart to provide patients with access to their medical care to help them understand and better manage their care.

High-performing organizations like HMH provide MyChart access, not only because it is required under state and federal law, but also because it provides the information and tools to patients to manage their care and communicate with your office.

Here’s what’s available:

Providing access to notes and lab and test results both empowers our patients and ensures we are complying with federal regulations.

This is a requirement under the 21st Century Cures Act. To block access systematically would be considered “information blocking” and subject HMH to penalties.

Visit Notes and Lab/Test Results

All physician notes and lab and test results are available to the patient in MyChart upon finalization.

Here’s How it Works

  • Upon finalization, notes and lab and test results are automatically posted to the patient’s MyChart file.
  • Practitioners have the ability to hold a note from being shared with a patient by choosing to do so prior to signing the note. The reason for withholding a note must be documented and those reasons are subject to audit and review.
    • To see how you can block release and document the reason why, please view this Epic Knowledge Builder available on the HMH Network.
  • Patients receive either an email notifying them that results or notes are available for review.

Things You as a Provider Should Know:

Your patient may see the results before you or the team has had the opportunity to review them. Here are some talking points you can use with your patients when discussing lab and test results:

  • To fully engage you in your care, your test/lab results will be available in MyChart as soon as they are available. You will most likely hear from our office within a few days to review the results.
  • Please know, regardless of your results, your care team has a plan prepared for you.
  • You do not need to review your results when they are available. If you prefer, you can choose to wait to be contacted with your results. We understand that some test results are more difficult to understand, and you may want to discuss them with a medical professional.
    • Also, you - as a patient - have the ability in MyChart to set a preference to not alert you to results. The results will be there but the alerts will be paused.
  • If the patient is receiving multiple tests. Please know, some of your test results may be available sooner than others as each test takes a different amount of time to process.
  • Not all test results marked as ‘abnormal’ are clinically significant. If you have immediate concerns, please contact our office.
Behavioral Health Notes

Behavioral health notes also are defaulted to share with the patient in MyChart.

Practitioners have the ability to hold a note from being shared with a patient by choosing to do so prior to signing the note. The reason for holding must be documented and is subject to audit and review.

  • To see how you can block release and document the reason why, please view this Epic Knowledge Builder available on the HMH Network.

Behavioral Health notes written prior to January 3, 2023, are not shared in MyChart.

Proxy Access for Children, Teens and Adults

Parents and/or guardians caring for children between the ages of 0-11 should request they be added as a proxy to their child’s MyChart account.

0-11 Access

  • Parent or legal guardian must complete the proxy form and it must be filed in the patient’s Epic chart
  • HMH staff can then link the accounts

For teens, a special proxy access must be set up between the patient, provider and parent.

12-17 Access

  • Parent/legal guardian, patient and provider must sign the Proxy agreement and then have it filed in the patient’s Epic chart
  • HMH staff can then link the accounts

Adult to Adult Access

  • The patient and designated proxy must complete the proxy form and have it filed in the patient’s Epic chart.
  • HMH staff can then link the accounts

All Proxy Forms are available here: https://mychart.hmhn.org/MyChart/Authentication/Login?mode=stdfile&option=CustomForm2

What can parents see in their child’s MyChart?

It depends on the age of the child. In order to comply with federal and state regulations, HMH limits access to some information to parents and guardians of children ages 12-17.

Here’s what they can see by age

mychart-access-by-age