Starting later this month, SEARHC patients will be able to schedule appointments, message their medical team, renew prescriptions, check lab results and more, all through a new online portal.

The online service is optional, and there is no charge.

“We’re really excited about the MySEARHC portal,” said Dr. Cate Buley, SEARHC’s chief medical officer. “It’s really a step up.”

It will be available to patients in every Southeast community served by SEARHC. Outreach will start March 29, Buley said. Everyone who has a current email address on file with SEARHC should receive an email with information on how to sign up.

Patients who do not receive an email can call (907) 463-0400 to get added to the system.

“Gone are the days of playing phone tag with your doctor’s office,” SEARHC said of the new service. “This isn’t just a convenient upgrade, it’s a game-changer for Southeast Alaskans who need easy, direct access to their medical records and providers without the endless calls or waiting rooms.”

MySEARHC will replace a much more limited online system, Buley said. Anyone registered for the old portal will have their data moved into the new system, she said. But even if a patient was registered with the old system, they will still need to sign up for the new service.

Though it offers more services, the new system is not intended to replace in-person medical appointments and is not for emergency calls, the doctor said. The new app, however, includes a feature to connect patients and health care providers for video visits.

All of SEARHC’s services will be accessible through MySEARHC except for dental and physical therapy, which have their own, separate online systems, Buley said.

Another feature of the new system is the ability for patients to view their itemized bills, after any insurance payments are applied.

SEARHC is contracting with MEDITECH for the online portal, Buley said. MEDITECH is an international provider of electronic health records systems.

• This story originally appeared in the Wrangell Sentinel.