A blog about the latest updates, stories and ideas from the OneRecord team.

The latest updates, stories and ideas from the OneRecord team.

The OneRecord Blog

As digital healthcare advances in leaps in bounds—both technologically and legalistically—the need for consumer access to their own health records has never been higher. So which digital health record app should you choose? Here are the differences between MyChart and the Apple Health App, and everything you need to know about them.

What’s the Difference Between MyChart and the Apple Health App?

OneRecord

Not sure which health apps do what? When there’s an app for everything, the process of selecting a method for tracking your medical information and health habits can be confusing, to say the least. Of the many applications out there, two of the most well-known are MyChart and the Apple Health App. But to the uninformed user, the nuances of these two digital options can easily blur together. Here are the differences between MyChart and the Apple Health App, and everything you need to know about them.

MyChart, developed by Epic, is an integrative digital solution when it comes to gathering your medical records from different hospitals, clinics, and practices onto your computer or smart device. Many different health organizations are compatible with the app (but unfortunately not all), meaning there are ways to view your prescriptions, lab results, tests, diagnoses, and other important information to keep track of. In most cases, collecting your health history involves using an access portal with your healthcare provider. MyChart is available on Apple’s App Store and Google Play.

While MyChart is handy for those situations when you want to organize your health records in a digital format, the app does have a reputation for taking some time to learn how to use. Some features—such as the messaging system—are not straightforward, and some users claim the interface is puzzling. Nevertheless, MyChart is one of the more popular options for managing your own health and your family’s health on the go.

Users of iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches may be aware of Apple’s own health management app, but many are unfamiliar with its actual use. The Apple Health App is an application packaged with most of Apple’s smart devices and helps your view and organize your personal, everyday health goals. Its features include tracking steps, diet, sleep, symptoms, vitals, and even mindfulness—the time you spend meditative and calm. The ease of use here is key: since the Apple Health App is first party, it is already seamlessly integrated with most Apple smart devices. This means there are no download hassles involved!

The Apple Health App does include functionality to connect with your medical records through supported EHR vendors, and can actually connect with MyChart in several cases to pull your information together. The primary downside of Apple Health, however, is also its benefit: being first party. This means only owners of Apple devices can use the Apple Health App. Seeing as a little over 50% of North America are iPhone users, that leaves the rest of the demographic without the ability to use Apple Health.

Bottom Line - Which Is The Best Solution?

As healthcare advances in leaps in bounds—both technologically and legalistically—the need for consumer access to their own health records has never been higher. Likewise, with the rising dependence on digital outlets to control patient’s health data electronically, it has never been more important to take control of your own medical records. Apps like MyChart and Apple Health help in this regard, but both still suffer from certain accessibility issues.

OneRecord is the clear choice for universal usability and accessibility.  With an app like OneRecord, you can expect a first-class, user-friendly interface that is as simple as it is powerful. You’ll be able to pull your health information into one place and view it from any device—iOS, Android, and web browsers.  Digital health management shouldn’t be hard or confusing or siloed to one operating system.  Get OneRecord for all your records, in one place.  

As digital healthcare advances in leaps in bounds—both technologically and legalistically—the need for consumer access to their own health records has never been higher. So which digital health record app should you choose?

Here's the Difference Between MyChart and the Apple Health App

OneRecord, a digital health platform that enables consumers to access, aggregate, and share their healthcare data has expanded to support Healthcare Payers and their members as mandated by the 21st Century Cures Act Interoperability and Patient Access Final Rule (CMS-9115-F). Humana becomes thier first supported payer.

OneRecord Launches Insurance Module with Humana as the First Supported Payer

Chief Barketing Officer

Now All Members From Any Humana Health Plan Can Access Claims Data via OneRecord

NEW YORK, July 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OneRecord, a digital health platform that enables consumers to access, aggregate, and share their healthcare data has expanded to support Healthcare Payers and their members as mandated by the 21st Century Cures Act Interoperability and Patient Access Final Rule (CMS-9115-F). 

On July 1st, OneRecord launched their insurance module on their iOS, Android, and Web Apps with Humana as the first supported Payers. Founded in 1961, Humana Inc. is the 3rd largest health insurer in the nation. An organization whose goal is to help millions of medical and specialty members achieve their best health. Their dedication to their members goes above and beyond with their delivery of a developer-first API that empowers members with their own data. 

OneRecord supports payers in meeting the CMS Interoperability and Patient Access Final Rule (CMS-9115-F)  where consumers can have a 360° view of their healthcare data including their discrete clinical data, clinical documents, claims information, insurance coverage, insurance payment information, and care team information all in one place. 

The first and only cross-device platform that enables consumers to access, aggregate and share health data on any device, OneRecord represents true interoperability moving beyond Apple Health and Google Health with apps on iOS, Android and the web. A consumer can now access all of their data on any device giving them true freedom from any operating system and the ability to choose any device to get their data.

OneRecord chose to launch with Humana because Humana went above and beyond the federal mandate to enable all of their members across all lines of business, including commercial plans, to access their data through a standards based API.

This announcement is part of the culmination of the CMS Patient Access Rule going into effect this past July 1, 2021. The CMS Patient Access Rule ensures that an additional 85 million patients have access to their health information in a standardized digital format, on top of the almost 40 million Medicare beneficiaries who already have access to their data through Blue Button 2.0. The underlying tenets of the law were first brought up about 10 years ago and are finally in effect. For the first time, consumers can expect that their health information will be readily available to them. And platforms like OneRecord are leading the charge in delivering that data.

"Now OneRecord supports medical data AND claims data, all in one place" announces Jennifer Blumenthal, CEO and Co-Founder of OneRecord.  "This provides a more complete picture of health information than ever. Think about it like television going from standard definition to high definition - there are so many more details and ways to have your healthcare work for you."

OneRecord is accessible on desktop, tablets, and mobile phones. Find OneRecord on the VA.gov App Store, the Apple App Store (supporting iPhones running iOS 12.4+), and Google Play (for devices running Android 9+) or on the web at www.onerecord.com with the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari.

OneRecord Launches Their Insurance Module with Humana as the First Supported Payer

Now All Members From Any Humana Health Plan Can Now Access Claims Data via OneRecord

When you need your medical records, you need them ASAP.  Here are four methods for getting copies of your health records. Learn how to get your medical records digitally or paper copies.

How to Get Copies of Your Medical Records

Do you have doctor's appointments, treatments, and prescriptions to juggle? Does your medical report feel like an Easter egg hunt? Full control over your personal health and wellness begins with direct access to your medical info. But if you make frequent visits to doctor offices, hospitals, nursing homes, or treatment centers, tracking down the bulk of your medical information can quickly become overwhelming! Here are four methods for you to collect your electronic health information and take back true ownership of your medical records.

Most healthcare providers today utilize online methods of storing health information to keep it on file in an easy-to-share format. Unlike paper records, electronic health information (EHI) can be seamlessly shared between various electronic health records, clinics, and doctors who need to coordinate with your other healthcare outlets. Digital storage has the added benefit of giving you a simple way to download your records to your computer or smart device. Check-in with your provider to learn if your information can be securely accessed from their website or online platform.

While the provider portal method is usually straightforward, it can still prove to be a chore when your health information is scattered across different healthcare facilities and EHRs. But thankfully, emerging healthcare technology solutions have streamlined this process to round up your data automatically! Personal health apps—like OneRecord—can be conveniently accessed on your phone, computer, laptop, or most other smart devices and pull all of your records into one secure place. These apps eliminate the need to scour the internet and make time-consuming phone calls. By verifying your healthcare providers, all of your information is instantly transferred to your app to view at a glance. OneRecord even updates your records as you go, meaning less time hunting down doctors and more time managing what really matters: your health!

3. Request Medical Records From Your Providers

If one or more of your providers don’t use electronic medical records or online portals to store your health information, you may need to settle for the old-fashioned approach: requesting the records manually from each of your healthcare services. This can take on the form of phone calls, email, or even visiting the location in person. In these hands-on scenarios, you will likely be asked by a medical records technician or other staff members to sign a medical release form which gives the facility permission to transfer the documents into your hands. The format these records use may differ from clinic to clinic—some may prefer to send your digital documents over secure email, while others will hand you papers. It will be your job to organize and compile the information through this method, but formally requesting your health data is still as viable of a solution as ever.

Just like in the case of provider portals, many labs will use lab portals to store your data and test results from different evaluations and scans. These could be separate from the portals you’d traditionally use to access your medical report. In most cases, you can retrieve lab results by pulling them directly from the facility’s lab portal online in a similar fashion to your other medical record sources. But thanks once more to technology, many health apps will also coordinate with your lab facilities to retrieve the data for you. A health information exchange (HIE) app like OneRecord has this feature built-in, making compiling those lab results a snap.

The Single Best Way to Get Your Medical Records

Despite the move to more efficient methods of health information storage such as EHRs and provider portals, the systems used by many healthcare outlets do not talk to each other well, meaning you might find yourself guessing where to find your records! In a few steps, the OneRecord app can save the day - by downloading the app, you’ll have quick access to all of your medical history at a glance whenever and wherever you need it. Managing your health has never been this easy! Download OneRecord today to manage your whole family’s health data in one place.

When you need your medical records, you need them ASAP.  Here are four methods for getting copies of your health records.

4 Ways to Get your Medical Records

Get to know Allie Cashel, CoFounder and President of Suffering the Silence.  Allie is on a journey to tell the untold stories of those living with chronic diseases and disabilities.

Meet Allie Cashel - OneRecord Profiles

OneRecord is a proud partner of Suffering the Silence, a nonprofit organization on a mission to tell the untold stories of those living with chronic diseases and disabilities. Through the efforts of Suffering the Silence President and Co-founder Allie Cashel, thousands of voices have been heard around the world and a community of often-overlooked lifestyles has blossomed in the face of clinical denial.

But the success of Suffering the Silence wasn’t born overnight. Like the lives the organization reflects, the road to making a global impact was cultivated by compassion and personal experience. For Allie, the individual struggles of those suffering from unspoken illness hit close to home.

Allie was first diagnosed with Lyme Disease at only eight years old, but the grasp it held over her life hardly let up through middle school and high school. At the peak of her symptoms, Allie experienced a severe neurological flare which temporarily cost her the ability to read and caused severe problems with her speech. Reduced depth perception as a result of the condition nearly took her life across multiple car accidents in a short period of time. The spontaneous nature of Allie’s chronic condition made for a terrifying time in her life.

As a teenager, Allie was told the extent of her symptoms were part of a mental breakdown. Unfortunately, she learned this demoralizing response was all too common: about 50% of the medical world believes Lyme Disease cannot persist in the body past initial antibiotic treatment, and that further reported symptoms are nothing but delusions. But with the first case of Lyme Disease reported in the 1970s, Allie realized she was among the first generation to grow through adolescence with the disease. This meant there was little to no research on the ailments she experienced throughout her life and no real basis for the negligence of these physicians.

“Lyme is still a very new disease, and the mainstream medical world doesn’t know very much about it,” Allie said. “Science is not 100% unified about its nature. I think a lot of the mystery that surrounds Lyme is more the result of a lack of information than anything else.”

The rejection of Lyme’s chronic tendencies prompted Allie to write the memoir Suffering the Silence, a book featuring not only Allie’s journey with the disease, but also the journeys of many other Chronic Lyme patients. When people associated with different sicknesses and disabilities aside from Lyme Disease stepped forward during her book tours, she realized she wasn’t alone—there were many others out there quietly suffering the dismissal of the medical community and the ambivalence of the public surrounding a slew of other chronic conditions.

Allie recognized there were challenges surrounding the culture and stigmas of chronic disease which needed to be confronted head-on. It was time to end the silence and speak up.

Following the inspiration of her memoir and numerous conversations with her close friend Erica Lupinacci, Allie set out to construct a space where people could feel empowered to share their stories and be heard for the first time. Alongside Erica and Creative Designer Amanda Crommett, Allie created the organization Suffering the Silence to leverage the power of storytelling to break stigmas around the experiences of chronic illness and disability.

“I’m a real believer in the power of stories to build empathy,” Allie said, “and often when we tell our stories with all the raw, ugly, painful parts, people don’t walk away feeling sad. Instead, they walk away thinking, ‘wow, that person was really strong.’ I think the more we’re able to normalize pain and suffering as part of the human experience and not as something to feel shameful about, people will have an easier time managing their health and finding support.”

Since its beginning in 2016, Suffering the Silence has gone on to host storytelling events, retreats, and campaigns, allowing the illness and disability community to get involved and share their experiences with others. The organization also hosts the Marching With Me campaign, a mission which originally partnered attendees in the 2017’s Women’s March with pictures of those who couldn’t join due to their medical complications. Today, Marching With Me continues to give families, friends, and patients a chance to have a presence at rallies and protests around the world when their conditions limit them from attending in person.

Suffering the Silence has also made its staple in the visual arts to portray the lives of those affected by this deafening silence. Media undertakings including film projects and photoshoots demonstrate these stories like never before, with the organization’s impactful documentary Trust Me, I’m Sick becoming a 2021 Webby Award Honoree.

Given the humanitarian splash the nonprofit wanted to make, it was almost like Suffering the Silence was destined to meet OneRecord.

Allie first met OneRecord CEO Jennifer Blumenthal at the in-person Care Fair in New York City. No sooner did they start talking than it became apparent Suffering the Silence was committed to the same patient empowerment mantra as OneRecord, and a partnership to improve people’s healthcare journey was a natural step away. The rest is history: OneRecord and STS embarked on a strategic partnership to give a voice to patients' stories and co-design the future of healthcare.

OneRecord also gave Allie an edge over managing her own health. One personal challenge for Allie involved taking responsibility for her own health after growing into an adult. “My parents managed my care growing up,” Allie said. “I didn’t know where any of my records were. I didn’t know where my parents kept information about past treatments, and that’s really relevant to the work OneRecord is doing.”

With this strong partnership forged, Suffering the Silence aims to provide even more opportunities for community building in the future, including opening more spots for the organization’s retreats and gatherings to bolster the drive of their mission through story, art, and media. Allie hopes to further expand the organization’s outreach to discuss the cost of care, supplying the illness and disability community with the knowledge and skills to make the best medical choices in their lives.

Suffering the Silence has touched countless lives by giving those with chronic conditions a place to have their voices heard. OneRecord is a proud supporter of the organization’s work and anticipates the resounding impact Allie and her team continues to make every single day. The silence has lasted long enough; join OneRecord and Suffering the Silence by making some noise!

Get to know Allie Cashel, CoFounder and President of Suffering the Silence. Allie is on a journey to tell the untold stories of those living with chronic diseases and disabilities.

Meet Allie Cashel - CoFounder of Suffering The Silence

Here are the many benefits that veterans and their families can enjoy with access to digital medical records.

Veterans, It’s Time to Take Control of Your Digital Health Data 

Are you a veteran? Or is a close friend or family member of yours a veteran? If so, we want to tell you about the many benefits that veterans and their families can enjoy with access to digital medical records. It's an exciting time where new technology makes it easy and secure to find your records, even as a veteran! So if you’re ready to operate more effectively in your healthcare journey, read on to see why taking control of your digital health data will empower an understanding of your health and remove the stress of health organization from your life.

Many veterans receive medical care from both VA healthcare facilities as well as civilian healthcare facilities over the course of a lifetime. But few ever get to see all their health data consolidated in one place at one time. Veterans, with your digital health records you have the ability to see all your data in one place. Gaining insight into up-to-date personal health data allows patients to know the trends and patterns in their health history. And having a clear picture of your health history will allow any veteran to effectively communicate with healthcare providers and insurance companies to receive the best care at the best cost.

Looking After a Spouse, Sibling, or Family Member

For many of us, the only thing more important than our own health is the health of our family members and loved ones. One of the best ways to improve care, for anyone looking after a veteran, is by keeping track of their digital health data for them. Free digital health apps like OneRecord make it easy for veteran family members to securely access their family’s medical data right from their smartphone, with permission from the veteran of course. We need to take care of each other and ensure our loved ones are healthy and getting the best care possible. 

P.S. you’ll also be saving time by not rummaging around sorting through paper records, too.

When it comes to medical history and medical records it can be difficult to know where to even begin. You have your health records from childhood, your records from clinics or circumstantial procedures, and your records from your regularly scheduled appointments.  

But how can you keep track of all these documents and information?  By keeping all your medical documents in a safe digital space you can skip the process of tracking down multiple healthcare providers and the long calls with insurance companies. Plus you won’t need to keep a filing cabinet in the middle of your home.  Having all your medical documents in the same place makes the idea of managing your healthcare a lot less daunting. With OneRecord you can consolidate all your medical documents and have them at your fingertips, whenever you need them.

Veterans, you’ve served our country and now OneRecord has the honor of serving you - by providing you all your health data in one place! Although we only named a few examples, there are many more ways that accessing your digital health data can help give you full autonomy over what matters most: your health. 

Download OneRecord for Free & Build Your OneRecord Today

Ready to operate more effectively in your healthcare journey and remove unwanted stress of healthcare organization from your life?

Consumers Can Now Find and Securely Store Vaccine Records on Their Mobile Devices

OneRecord Delivers Vaccine Wallet Pass

NEW YORK, April 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OneRecord, a digital health company with apps on iOS, Android, and web – announces brand new features to find, store, and present vaccination records from iOS and web devices. This ability is taken one step further by giving users with iPhones the ability to easily access their vaccine records with their Apple Wallet.

In collaboration with Vaccination Credential Initiative (VCI) as both an individual member and a member of the CARIN Alliance, OneRecord is committed to empowering consumers with trustworthy and verifiable copies of their vaccination records in digital or paper form. OneRecord will be one of the early applications for general availability using the SMART Health Cards Framework Implementation Guide based on the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Verifiable Credential and Health Level 7 (HL7) FHIR standards.

OneRecord's wallet pass works by enabling the user to connect their existing health portals to their OneRecord app and fetching data via secure FHIR APIs. Unlike a tethered patient portal that relies on a single health system, OneRecord is an untethered application that can find and pull digital health records from any source a user provides. By introducing the vaccination record and immunization lookups, OneRecord will help users navigate the final phases of the COVID-19 pandemic as the world transitions back to a new normal. 

Furthermore, the vaccine wallet pass developed by OneRecord will support vaccination and immunization records of all types (ex. Hep. A, Hep. B, Cholera, etc.) expanding its use case outside of just COVID-19. Vaccines are a requirement for traveling internationally, working within certain job sites, and for students attending public schools and universities. With vaccination records at the user's fingertips, the process of providing proof of vaccination and entering those settings will be more seamless than ever. No patient portal? No problem. Users can also use OneRecord's medical files management system to upload a photo of their vaccination record to the application for secure digital safe-keeping. 

The integration between OneRecord's vaccine wallet pass and the Apple Wallet is indeed novel. Similar to digital airline boarding passes, users can store and pull up their vaccination records with the Apple Wallet itself. "We're thinking big about consumer features. A wallet record is the new normal, it's secure, shareable, and it won't fall out of your pocket," says CEO and Co-Founder of OneRecord, Jennifer Bluementhal. "It's about time healthcare technology seamlessly adds value to consumers in an everyday way."  

OneRecord isn't stopping here and is already working on bringing the same vaccination and wallet pass features to Android devices and all web platforms. Along with that, OneRecord is working on an end-to-end experience where a digital QR code can be scanned by a receiving organization for additional verification through State Immunization Registries. Healthcare has been catalyzed into the forefront of our everyday life and OneRecord is taking on the challenge of providing the right solutions to keep our world running smoothly. Get back to a new normal, backed by OneRecord.

OneRecord is available on the VA.gov App Store, the Apple App Store (supporting iPhones running iOS 12.4+), and Google Play (for devices running Android 9+). Or, access your full health history on OneRecord.com with the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari.

OneRecord Delivers Vaccine Wallet Pass Nationwide

Finding and Securely Storing Your Vaccine Records on Your Mobile Devices is Easier Than Ever

Here are some helpful steps to obtain proof of your vaccination history because, ultimately, the best policy when it comes to vaccination cards is to be proactive about your storage and handling of them.

Lost Your Vaccination Card? Here’s What To Do

Already lost your vaccination card? Don’t panic. There are a number of steps you can take in order to restore proof of your vaccination.  Here are some helpful steps to obtain proof of your vaccination history. 

COVID-19 vaccination sites are required to report data within 72 hours in their state’s immunization system so although you may not have physical proof, there are databases that can be accessed in order to confirm your vaccination status. 

The first step that the CDC recommends is to contact your vaccination provider, which means the location where you received your shot. When provided with a valid form of ID, the vaccination providers should be able to look you up in their system and promptly provide you a new vaccination card with the same exact information as before. 

If you are unable to contact your vaccination provider, you can then reach out to your state health department’s immunization information system (IIS) for assistance. The CDC itself does not store vaccination record information. Rather, each state has a website, phone number, or email address that you can access in order to find out how to gain personal vaccination records in your specific state.

For those of you who have not lost your vaccination card, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still suggests taking a photo of both the front and back of your card in the event that you lose it. Be sure to store these photos in a secure digital app, like OneRecord, as vaccination cards display sensitive personal information that could be used by scammers to perform identity theft or create phony vaccination cards.

Although there are means of obtaining new physical cards if they get lost or damaged, you don’t want to be left scrambling the night before a flight or be denied entry to an event because you do not have proof of your legitimate immunization. The easiest thing for you is to keep a digital record at your fingertips. Plus it's more secure to carry than your paper record. Download OneRecord and you’ll be able to keep your COVID-19 immunization data securely on your phone ready anytime you may need them. Ultimately, the best policy when it comes to vaccination cards is to be proactive about your storage and handling of them.

Keep Your Vaccination Records On Your Phone Here

Already lost your vaccination card? Don’t panic. There are a number of steps you can take in order to restore proof of your vaccination.