How does My Connected Care work?

What can I do with the My Connected Care portal?

Through My Connected Care, you can view most of your hospital health information very close to the time it is available in our system, including a summary of hospital visits, blood test results, diagnostic reports, and clinical notes written by members of your healthcare team. You can also view upcoming appointments.

Why is there a delay in seeing some of my results? If there's a delay, does that mean the result is bad?

There is a delay between the time that results are posted in our system and when they are available to view in My Connected Care. This is standard and does not change based on the outcome of your test. This delay gives your health care team time to connect with you to discuss the results, if they need an explanation from your doctor or Nurse Practitioner.

Why don’t I see the image from my scan along with the report?

Radiologists receive images to review and interpret. My Connected Care shows you the summary report from the radiologist. As well, imaging files are very large and they require special viewing software. If you are interested in viewing your images, please visit www.pocket.health/kitchener for more information.

I know I had a specific test done. Why doesn't it show in My Connected Care?

There are two reasons a test may not display in My Connected Care:

1) The test was done recently and the result isn't available yet; or

2) The type of test is not included in the My Connected Care portal. Some examples of results we are unable to display online at this time include ECG and echocardiogram results, genetic testing and autopsies. If you would like access to a test result that is not displayed through My Connected Care, please contact the health records department at the hospital where your appointment took place: Grand River Hospital | St. Mary's General Hospital.

How far back in the past can I see my information?

My Connected Care displays test results from September 2019 onwards and clinical notes from late November 2022 onwards. Access to your records prior to this date is available by contacting the Health Records office at the organization where your visit took place. Grand River Hospital| St. Mary's General Hospital

Can I enter my own information into my electronic record?

My Connected Care is used for viewing information. Some clinics may ask patients to fill out information on the portal using the MyForms feature prior to their scheduled appointment. The clinic will give you more information about this if they use this feature. If you would like to change demographic information associated with your health record (for example, telephone number, home address), please speak with one of our registration team members at your next visit.

Can I contact my healthcare team from My Connected Care?

Your care team may send you messages through the My Connected Care portal. You will receive a notification in the personal email inbox linked to your My Connected Care account if you have received a message. At this time, you will only be able to read messages and fill out health questionnaires that have been assigned to you. You will not be able to email your provider or reply to messages. For health-related questions, please speak with your care provider.

Can I ask questions regarding a family member from my My Connected Care account?

No. Your My Connected Care account is specific to your health care and is tied only to your health record.

My Account

How do I sign up for a My Connected Care account?

To enroll in My Connected Care, visit our self-enrollment page My Connected Care - Self-Enrollment. You will need the following information: First name, last name, date of birth, and one of the following:

Health card number and medical record number (MRN) or
Email address as it appears in our system

If you want to enroll in My Connected Care but do not know your MRN and/or do not have an email address listed in your medical record, complete our Self-Enrollment Assistance Form to start the process. A member of our team will receive your request and after verifying your information, we will use the email address you have provided to send you a link to complete the self-enrollment process.

Can I sign up for a My Connected Care account if I don’t have an upcoming appointment?

You can sign up for a My Connected Care account using our self-enrollment website using your heathcard number and your GRH or SMGH Medical Record Number (MRN). Your MRN can be found on documents you have received from the hospital, such as a discharge summary, armband, or upcoming appointment itinerary. If you do not have this information, please fill out our Self-Enrollment Support Form.

How do I log into My Connected Care using my account?

My Connected Care is accessible from anywhere at any time through the Internet. After you have received an email invitation and created an account, you will be able to log in to the My Connected Care website where you can view your health records. https://myconnectedcare.ca.

The patient portal has been designed to work on these browsers: Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari Mobile devices OS support, iOS or Android Operating Systems.

Is there an app available for the My Connected Care portal?

Currently, there is not an app version of My Connected Care. However, you can access the portal website using the internet browser on your mobile device.

Is the information on My Connected Care available in different languages?

The My Connected Care Portal is only available in English.

If I am signed up for another patient portal, will I be able to access all of my health information in the same place?

The My Connected Care portal will display health information from appointments and tests completed at Grand River Hospital and St. Mary's General Hospital. It does not display your health information from your family doctor or other hospitals.

I forgot my password or need to change it - what should I do?

You can use the “Forgot your Password” link on the My Connected Care login page to retrieve your password, or you can call the 24/7 My Connected Care support line at 1-855-455-2717. This is a toll-free number to the Cerner Customer Care Support Centre, located in Kansas City, Missouri.

How do I change my email address?

If you already have an account and wish to change the email address you use to login to the portal, please call My Connected Care support at 1-855-455-2717 (available 24/7). Changing the email address you use to log in to the portal does not update the email address in your health record. To update the email address that you use for email communication with the organization, or other contact information associated with your health record (for example, telephone number, home address), please speak with a member of our registration staff at your next appointment.

I signed up for My Connected Care and now I have changed my mind. Can I delete my account?

If you have changed your mind and do not want a My Connected Care account, please call the 24/7 My Connected Care support line at 1-855-455-2717. This is a toll-free number to the Cerner Customer Care Support Centre, located in Kansas City, Missouri. If you wish to re-enroll at a later date, you can complete our self-enrollment process.

Can my spouse and I use the same email address to sign up for the portal?

When creating your portal account, you will need to provide a unique email address that is not shared with someone else.

Privacy and Security

How do you keep my health information private and safe?

The privacy and security of your health information is very important to us. My Connected Care is hosted on a system that has similar security technologies in place that banks use for online banking portals. This ensures your health information remains private and safe. Your passwords and data are encrypted (converted into code to prevent unauthorized access) and the system is monitored and audited to identify privacy breaches. However, you should always follow best practices for passwords, including using a password that’s different from other passwords you might have. My Connected Care also has an Access Logs feature so you can see who accessed your health information and when. For more information, please review our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

What can I do to ensure my health information in My Connected Care remains secure?

Keep your My Connected Care login ID and password safe, and don’t share them with anyone. If you decide to download or print your personal health records from My Connected Care, you are responsible for keeping them safe. Don’t access My Connected Care from publicly accessible devices or networks (such as Internet café kiosks and other public Internet access points) – this is a security risk. Don’t access your health information in public areas where others can easily see your computer screen. Always sign out of your session by clicking the Sign Out link at the bottom left of the menu where you see your name. Then close the internet browser.

What do I do if I believe that my account has been breached or compromised?

You can change your account password from the main login screen, or cancel account access by calling My Connected Care customer support at 1-855-455-2717 (available 24/7). If you believe that your My Connected Care account has been breached or compromised, please contact the Privacy Office by email. Emails are monitored Monday to Friday from 8:30am - 4:30pm. The Privacy Office will respond in 1-2 business days.

Grand River Hospital: Confidentially.Speaking@grhosp.on.ca

St. Mary's General Hospital: privacyoffice@smgh.ca

More information about the Privacy Office can be found on each hospital's website at the following address:

Grand River Hospital: https://www.grhosp.on.ca/care/...

St. Mary's General Hospital: https://www.smgh.ca/patients-v...

Authorized Representatives

What is an Authorized Representative

Authorized Representatives are individuals who have been granted permission to view someone else's health information in My Connected Care.

Patients 0-11: A patient must be at least 12 years old to have their own My Connected Care account. Parents/legal guardians of children under 12 years old can enroll for access to their child's information by completing the Patient Portal Authorized Representative Form and submitting it electronically, along with supporting documentation as required. Access given to parents/legal guardians will be automatically revoked when that child turns 12 years old in compliance with privacy regulations.
Patients 12-15: Patients 12-15 years old are eligible to have their own My Connected Care account, and can choose to give a parent or legal guardian Authorized Representative access to be able to see their health information by completing the Patient Portal Authorized Representative Form and submitting it electronically, along with supporting documentation as required. Authorized Representative access will be revoked when the patient turns 16 years old in compliance with privacy regulations.
Patients 16 and up: Patients 16 years and older are eligible for their own My Connected Care account and can allow anyone of their choosing to have Authorized Representative access to view their health information on the portal.

Additionally, caregivers of patients not capable of making their own health decisions can request access to someone else's health information through My Connected Care by submitting supporting documentation along with the Authorized Representative Form.

How can I give other people access to My Connected Care account, or request access to someone else's health information through My Connected Care?

To allow someone else access to your health information through My Connected Care, or to request access to someone else's health information, please complete the Patient Portal Authorized Representative Form (available on our website) and submit the form electronically, along with supporting documentation as required, to the Health Records department at either Grand River Hospital or St. Mary's General Hospital: Grand River Hospital: releaseofinformation@grhosp.on.ca St. Mary's General Hospital: releaseofinfo@smgh.ca

I authorized someone else to have access to my health information on My Connected Care and now I have changed my mind. Can I remove their access?

Yes, patients 12 and older can remove the access that other people have to their My Connected Care health information at any time. This can be done by calling the 24/7 My Connected Care support line at 1-855-455-2717. This is a toll-free number to the Cerner Customer Care Support Centre, located in Kansas City, Missouri.

If I allow someone else to access my account as an Authorized Representative, what can they see? Can I limit what information they see?

When you give someone Authorized Representative access, they will be able to see all the information in your My Connected Care account. They are also able to view, copy, print, or share it. They will be able to see everything in My Connected Care that you can see - you cannot limit what health information they see.

Before giving someone access, remember that My Connected Care contains YOUR health information and YOU decide who has access. If you are an account holder age 16 years or older, people you designate as Authorized Representatives will always have access to your health information unless you remove them.

Why can't I see my child's information anymore?

Access to an account by an Authorized Representative (i.e. a parent) is automatically removed when a patient turns 12, and again removed when the patient turns 16. Once the patient turns 12 and 16 respectively, they can re-consent to allow an Authorized Representative to have access to their health record.

Support

I'm having trouble signing in or another technical issue.

For technical issues, please call My Connected Care support line at 1-855-455-2717 (available 24/7). This is a toll-free number to the Cerner Customer Care Support Centre, located in Kansas City, Missouri. For health-related questions, please speak with your care provider.

Who can I talk to about my results or health information in My Connected Care?

If you would like to talk to someone about your health information, please contact your health care provider. Please do not contact the lab or medical imaging department about your results.

There are words used in my health records that I do not understand. Where can I go to find out what these words mean?

Medical terminology and short forms can be hard to understand. This alphabetical list will help explain some of the most commonly used short forms used in healthcare. You can also talk to your health care provider for help understanding your information.

How do I get a copy of my health records?

The hospital's health information management department (Health Records) is responsible for the release of health information. For more information including contact information, hours of service and how to request a copy of your records, you must contact the hospital where your visit took place. More information about the process is available on each hospital's website: Grand River Hospital: https://www.grhosp.on.ca/care/... St. Mary's General Hospital: https://www.smgh.ca/patients-v...

Some of my health information is wrong or missing. How do I fix it?

Please contact the Privacy Office at the hospital where your visit took place. More information about the Privacy Office is available on the following websites: