Telehealth.HHS.gov says patient portals are a secure way to send and receive messages. That makes them useful for non-urgent questions.

Good uses include:

• asking follow-up questions
• clarifying instructions
• asking about records, forms, or scheduling

Poor uses include emergencies. Portal messages are not the place for urgent medical crises.

What to do:

• keep messages brief and specific
• use them for non-urgent communication
• call emergency services or the clinic directly when the situation is urgent

This lesson is part of Getting Care Online from Lumoset Foundation, Fort Wayne, Indiana – free, always, with no account and no catch.