MyChart and telehealth visits, made easy

More and more of health care happens through a patient portal: test results, appointment reminders, prescription refills, messages to your doctor and video visits. The most common portal is MyChart, used by many hospitals and practices around the country. In our area, Inova and Johns Hopkins both use MyChart. Other systems have their own portals, such as MedStar’s patient portal, but they work in a similar way.

Here’s how to get set up, and how to make video visits go smoothly.

Step 1: Sign up

You’ll usually need an activation code, which is often printed on your after-visit summary or sent by text or email. If you don’t have one, most MyChart sign-up pages let you request access by verifying your identity online, or you can call your doctor’s office and ask.

1. Download the MyChart app from the App Store or Google Play. It’s made by Epic Systems Corporation.
2. Open it and search for your health system by name, like "Inova" or "Johns Hopkins."
3. Tap Sign Up Now.
4. Enter your activation code, or choose the option to sign up without one.
5. Create a username and password. Write the username down somewhere safe. A password manager helps.
6. Turn on Face ID or fingerprint login when offered. It makes signing in much easier.

If you see doctors in two different health systems that both use MyChart, you can often link them inside one app. Look for Link My Accounts or Share Everywhere in the menu.

Step 2: Find your way around

The home screen shows shortcuts. The most useful ones:

• Messages: send a non-urgent question to your doctor’s office
• Test Results: lab work and imaging reports
• Visits or Appointments: upcoming and past visits
• Medications: your current list, with a button to request refills
• Billing: statements and payments

Everything is also under the Menu button (three lines).

Send a message to your doctor

1. Tap Messages.
2. Tap Send a message (or the pencil icon).
3. Choose the type, like Medical question or Prescription question.
4. Choose your doctor or care team.
5. Write a short, clear subject and message, and tap Send.

Replies usually take a day or two. Never use messages for emergencies. Call 911 or your doctor’s office for anything urgent.

Check test results

Tap Test Results and tap a result to open it. Results often appear in MyChart before your doctor has had a chance to review them, which can be worrying. Numbers flagged as high or low don’t always mean something is wrong. If something concerns you, send a message or wait for your doctor’s call.

Joining a telehealth video visit

This is where most of the stress happens, usually in the last five minutes before the appointment. A little preparation helps.

The day before

1. Open the appointment in MyChart and look for eCheck-In. Complete it: confirm your medications, allergies and insurance, and answer any questionnaires.
2. Check you can find the Join Video Visit button. It usually appears on the appointment shortly before the start time.
3. If there’s a Test Video option, try it. It checks your camera, microphone and speaker.

Fifteen minutes before

1. Charge the device or plug it in.
2. Sit somewhere quiet and well lit, facing a window or lamp.
3. Prop the phone or tablet up at eye level. A stand helps a lot.
4. Have your list ready: medications, symptoms, questions, and your pharmacy name.
5. Put on hearing aids if you use them. If they’re Bluetooth, make sure they’re connected. See connecting hearing aids to a phone.

Joining

1. Open MyChart, tap the appointment, and tap Join Video Visit or Begin Visit.
2. When the phone asks to use the camera and microphone, tap Allow. If you tap "Don’t Allow" by mistake, go to your phone’s Settings, find MyChart, and turn camera and microphone on.
3. You may wait in a virtual waiting room for a few minutes. That’s normal.

If the video doesn’t work, don’t panic. Call the office. They can often switch to a phone visit.

Proxy access: how family can help

Adult children can get their own access to a parent’s MyChart, called proxy access, so they can see appointments, read messages and help with refills, all with the parent’s permission and their own login. This is better than sharing a parent’s password.

To set it up, look in the MyChart menu for Friends and Family Access or Share My Record. Some health systems need a signed form. Your doctor’s office can tell you their process.

Video visits from a computer

You can also use MyChart in a web browser on a laptop. Go to your health system’s MyChart website (type the address from your paperwork or the health system’s main site, not from a search ad), sign in, and join the visit the same way. Chrome, Edge and Safari work well. A laptop’s bigger screen can be easier for some people.

Tips that make it easier

• Turn on notifications in the MyChart app so you hear about new messages and results.
• Make text bigger. See how to make text bigger on a phone or tablet.
• Keep Wi-Fi strong. If video freezes, move closer to the router. Our Wi-Fi troubleshooting guide can help.
• Watch for fake health messages. Real MyChart messages appear inside the app. Don’t sign in from an email link if you’re unsure. Open the app instead.

When to get help

If signing up, linking accounts or joining a video visit feels like too much, we can set it up with you and run a practice video call before the real appointment. We can also help a family member set up proxy access. We never need your medical details to do it. We help across DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia, at home or by video. Book a free 15-minute call.