LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- After months of training and preparation, the 19th Medical Group went live with MHS GENESIS on March 21.
MHS GENESIS is the Military Health System’s new electronic health record system being deployed to military hospitals and clinics around the world. The MHS GENESIS system is the centerpiece of a larger transformation to securely standardize, integrate and manage medical records across the Defense Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
While the transition should be mostly transparent for patients, a key change is the switch from TRICARE Online to the MHS GENESIS Patient Portal for online support. The secure website provides 24/7 access to individual and family health information, including visit notes, secure messaging, test results, appointment scheduling and online prescription renewal.
Patients can access the new Portal (https://patientportal.mhsgenesis.health.mil) using their same DS Logon: https://myaccess.dmdc.osd.mil/.
“This new electronic health record will provide better quality of care and enhanced safety for service members and their families by becoming the single medical and dental record that all healthcare providers will use to manage patients’ care,” said Col. Jennifer Bratz, 19th Medical Group commander. “We’re moving into an era where you as a patient should be able to enter any healthcare setting and see a physician who has comprehensive access to information about you.”
The 19th MDG asks patients and staff for their patience and support during the transition. To enable care teams and support personnel to train and learn the system, the 19th MDG has temporarily reduced the number of available appointments. As a result, patients may be referred to the network for primary or specialty care, directed to urgent care centers for same-day care, or experience longer wait times for medical services.
“I realize there are frustrations for both staff and patients, however this transition will provide safe, quality care to all of our beneficiaries,” Bratz said. “We are incredibly proud of our staff and greatly appreciate our beneficiaries’ support and patience at this time. Thanks to this team’s hard work and commitment, we are anticipating continued success with this transition.”
For more information about the new electronic health record, beneficiaries can visit the MHS GENESIS webpage.