The TRICARE Online Patient Portal is scheduled to be decommissioned on April 1st. If you are a user, it’s crucial to download your health records before this date. This change is part of the Department of Defense’s (DOD) transition to a new electronic health record system, MHS GENESIS, which has now replaced the TOL Patient Portal.
Rear Adm. Tracy Farrill emphasizes the importance of this action: “We encourage you to take these important steps to save your personal health records before the TOL Patient Portal decommissions. Your medical history is a valuable resource for managing your health, and saving your records now ensures you have access if you need it.”
Here’s what you need to know to ensure you retain access to your health information.
Why is the TOL Patient Portal Being Decommissioned?
The primary reason for decommissioning the TOL Patient Portal is the full implementation of the MHS GENESIS Patient Portal. MHS GENESIS provides 24/7 access to your Electronic Health Record (EHR) and offers a wider range of functionalities. With MHS GENESIS, you can:
- Schedule and manage appointments: Book and cancel medical appointments easily.
- Request prescription refills: Renew your prescriptions online.
- Access test results and clinical notes: View your clinical notes and certain test results.
- Communicate securely with your healthcare team: Exchange secure messages with your military healthcare providers.
This transition streamlines EHR management by eliminating the need for two separate systems, making MHS GENESIS the single, comprehensive portal for your healthcare needs.
What Happens to Your Health Records?
- Provider Access: Rest assured, your healthcare providers will continue to have uninterrupted access to your complete health records through the new system.
- Personal Access: To maintain personal access to your legacy health records (those prior to the full MHS GENESIS implementation at your facility), you need to download them before April 1st. Alternatively, after April 1st, you can request a physical copy from your military hospital or clinic’s records management office. This process requires an in-person request and a subsequent visit to pick up your records. Downloading your records now is a more efficient option.
Steps to Download Your Health Records Before April 1st
To download your records from the TOL Patient Portal, follow these simple steps:
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Visit www.TRICAREOnline.com.
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Log in: Use your DS Logon, CAC, or DFAS myPay credentials to sign in. If you are a new user, create a DS Logon account by clicking “Need An Account.”
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Access Health Record: On the TOL homepage, locate and click the blue “Health Record” button. This will take you to your personal health data.
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Find “Download My Data”: Select the “Download My Data” option. You will see a list of different data categories available for download.
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Customize Your Download: Choose the individual, data types, and date range you wish to download. You can also select the format for your records.
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Download Your Records: You can download your records in PDF format or as a (.xml) Continuity of Care Document (CCD). The CCD format is useful for sharing your health data with family, caregivers, other providers, and healthcare systems.
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Save Your Records Securely: After downloading, save the file in a secure location for future access. Consider printing a copy for physical storage as well.
Important Considerations
- No Automatic Transfer: Your records will not be automatically transferred to MHS GENESIS when TOL is decommissioned.
- Potential Data Gaps: TOL records reflect data only from periods when your military hospital or clinic used TOL. If you have moved duty stations, there might be gaps in your MHS GENESIS records. These gaps can be filled by the records in the TOL Patient Portal, so ensure you download them.
- 30-Year Download Limit: You can only download records from the past 30 years from the date of login.
- Data Security: Once downloaded, the responsibility for securing your health information rests with you. Use secure storage options and avoid saving data on unsecured devices or platforms.
This decommissioning does not affect your ability to file claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Your providers will still have access to your complete medical history.
Accessing Children’s Health Records
Yes, you can access health records for your children. Full health data is available for children under 12. For children aged 12-17, online access includes COVID-19, flu test results, allergies, vitals, and immunization data. Due to state privacy laws, access to other data for this age group is limited online, but printed records can be requested from your child’s clinic.
Act Now—Don’t Wait
Time is of the essence. The TOL Patient Portal will only be accessible until April 1st. Download your health records now to ensure you have easy access to them whenever needed. Visit the TOL Patient Portal today to get started.
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