A patient portal is a way for patients to access a medical office using a secure webpage on their computer or phone. Many of you are presently using this tool to receive news of your recent test results, to book and confirm appointments, and to view email messages that I or my staff may send. The portal also has an education and search function so patients can read about diseases or health topics. If you presently don't have access to your personal patient portal and want to get started accessing your chart/health record simply follow this link to start a portal account. 

Medicare and Federal regulations are requiring all physician specialties to provide patients with patient portals. If you see specialists, you may be invited to join several portals which may become confusing and difficult to manage.  If the amount of portals you're invited to join becomes unmanageable, I urge you to focus using your primary care physician's portal.

A primary care physician is the best access point for a patient to monitor and update their health information. The reason for this is primary care physicians provide most of a patients care.  A good primary care physician will be receiving reports directly from all of the specialists that a patient may see. For example, on my portal, you can access records that have been sent to our office from specialists. Think of the IMLWP portal as the go-to place to view your whole healthcare summary.

Other uses of the portal that can make things more efficient and convenient include: 

• Making a non-urgent appointment
• Changing an appointment
• Requesting an appointment
• Updating your chart to clarify a record error or missing information
• Reporting a consultants medication change or recommendation
• Using the education module to learn about your problems or to reinforce recommendations made at the office
• To inform me or my staff of a nonurgent piece of information 
• Uploading forms from the office- I plan to have our standard forms placed into digital formats that allow onscreen completion and digital signatures
• Paying a bill balance
• Uploading a nice photo of yourself for me and my staff to have on your chart

1. Cut or shred 3-4 cups of red cabbage-place in large bowel.
2. Add 2-3 tablespoons of pine nuts. Chopped walnuts or sliced almonds would work as well.
3. Add 1/3-1/2 cup of dried cranberries or raisins.
4. Slice 3-4 fresh Medjool Dates
5. Drizzle liberally fresh olive oil over the ingredients (1/4 to 1/3 cup if you must measure).
6. Drizzle liberally and to taste balsamic vinegar (1/8 to 1/4 cup if you must measure).
7. Grind fresh ground pepper over as seasoning.
8. 1-2 teaspoons WicklesTM spicy(red) hoagie relish (this is the magic ingredient).
9. Cover bowel with fitted lid or use plastic wrap to top of bowel. Shake/toss to mix all ingredients.