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HOUSTON (May 22, 2009)—A new Internet portal offered by Kelsey-Seybold Clinic gives patients a convenient tool for managing their own health care. MyKelseyOnline launches citywide on May 28 and lets patients schedule appointments, send secure electronic messages to their medical team, and more.

“Effective health care often hinges on effective communication between patients and physicians and this new tool helps facilitate that communication,” said James C. Hoyle, Jr., M.D., Kelsey-Seybold’s medical director of Clinical Operations. “Patients don’t always remember everything they want to ask us when they are in the exam room. With MyKelseyOnline, they can send questions via an electronic message to their physician’s nurse support staff at 2 a.m. or log in on Sunday afternoon and schedule appointments. They will receive responses to their questions the following business day.”

Kelsey-Seybold began piloting MyKelseyOnline late last year at its Fort Bend, Cypress and The Woodlands locations and the response from patients participating in the pilot project have been overwhelmingly positive. Beginning May 28, this service will be available to patients treated by Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and many subspecialties at Kelsey-Seybold’s 18 locations throughout the greater Houston area.

“A growing body of research suggests that more patients want to communicate with their physicians via an electronic message and that such interaction can strengthen the patient–physician relationship,” Dr. Hoyle said. “A number of our patients in the pilot communities have already commented on the ease and convenience of this new system.”

Kelsey-Seybold patients may visit www.mykelseyonline.com to sign up for the patient portal. Patients can enroll online to do the following:

•    Send secure electronic messages to their primary care and specialty care physician’s office staff
•    Directly schedule appointments with primary care physicians
•    Request appointments with Kelsey-Seybold specialists
•    View past and upcoming appointments
•    Cancel appointments
•    Update personal, demographic and insurance information

The secure portal also includes a link to refill prescriptions at Kelsey-Seybold pharmacies.

MyKelseyOnline can help manage health care for the entire family. Parents can view immunization history and request or schedule appointments on their child’s behalf for children ages 12 and younger. Plans are also underway to allow making appointments and viewing immunization records for children ages 13 and older consistent with state regulations that protect the privacy of teenagers.

“The current functionality is just the starting point for MyKelseyOnline,” explained Spencer Berthelsen, M.D., Kelsey-Seybold’s board chairman. “As we continue to develop the portal, patients will be able to view their online health profile including allergy information, medications and more.”

While MyKelseyOnline facilitates convenient communication between patients and physicians, it should not be used for urgent health care issues. In such cases, a patient should call his or her physician’s office or 9-1-1 instead of sending secure messages through MyKelseyOnline.