I was riding on a bus to work one day when I got a message from my primary care doctor. Even just a few years ago, that meant listening to a voicemail and calling back to discuss private health information over the telephone over a lunch break or at home, hoping the doctor would also be available.

But instead of playing phone tag on a busy day, I sent an email over securing messaging on MyHealtheVet. There wasn’t any hold music or endless transfers at my local VA facility. I replied to her message, and at the end of the day, had another waiting for me that I could read on my phone.

If you haven’t dug into it yet, MyHealtheVet is a helpful tool to manage your health information. Beyond secure messaging, you can refill prescriptions, update allergy lists, track upcoming appointments, record health goals, review immunizations, and more.

There are a few different types of accounts—basic, advanced and premium, with elevating levels of access. For the premium, you’ll have to get authenticated. Check out the difference here.

If you’re busy like most people, or just don’t want to mess with the phone, MyHealtheVet is a good tool to save time by directly accessing what you need to know, anytime. And one thing I’ve noticed—enhanced access has led me to be more proactive about health concerns. Now I don’t put off questions until the next doctor’s visit. I send an email.

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8 Comments

  1. Joe July 10, 2013 at 10:22

    Ebenefits is MUCH better laid out than the MyHealthyVet. I check my appointments there, much easier and I can see my claim info. Not sure why the VA is wasting all this money developing a separate site when Ebenefits already exists. They should work on incorporating DOD records into Ebenefits instead of the useless MyHealthyVet site.

  2. Larry B. Johnston July 7, 2013 at 22:15

    Thank you

  3. DENNIS J FINN July 7, 2013 at 17:44

    I TRACK MY HEALTH DAILY

  4. Jerry Funk July 4, 2013 at 18:13

    Jerry say’s the VA has been good to me

  5. Craig July 3, 2013 at 16:48

    Dear Melody Chavez – I am a service connected disabled veteran who has his stomach removed along with parts of the esophagus, small intestines and large intestines. This being said when I eat I have to try and eat 6-8 small meals each and every day, the catch here is that as I have a surgically created stomach, the size of a thumb, that first does not hold but a tiny quantity of food before it is filled. Secondly, this new stomach as it does not expand like a normal stomach would and does, and so when eating I have been advised from day one that when I eat to avoid fluids as much as possible so as not to fill the stomach with fluids, instead of the much needed calories of food. It has been nearly seven years since my last surgery when the stomach was completely removed and I have battled dehydration each and every day! Although I try and sip water between meals I do not have the physical ability to consume or just “chug” water when I am thirsty or when I know that I am dehydrated, because the plumbing so to speak will not physically allow for this, and only holds so much fluids. I have had to go the emergency room where I would receive IV’s as well as “banana bags” to help to rehydrate me as well as to increase caloric intake. However, within a couple of days I have been right back in the same physical boat so to speak. I have thrown up my hands in disgust as this is a viscous cycle and have stopped going to the ER because I felt as though I was living there, but this all seems like a losing battle and has deeply affected my health and overall physical condition with increased migraine headaches, cramps and all the many effects that a person that is dehydrated suffers from. The doctors have all said drink more water and fluids eliminate caffeine and much of the same advice that you wrote in your article, but here I am writing to you from my bed and once again I am dehydrated. Any suggestions?

  6. walbert hindle July 3, 2013 at 11:58

    Need to apply

  7. Clifton S Lewis Jr July 3, 2013 at 11:08

    I like the facilitation of myhealthvet and it keeps getting better and better.

  8. Ken Mitnick July 2, 2013 at 17:27

    I have been using MyHealtheVet for several years now. It has been especially good since the enhanced version became available two years ago. I used the VA Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida and have never had better medical care in my life.

    The MyHealtheVet website is great for several of its features. Nothing beats it for making sure that all of my prescriptions were ordered on time and in an easy to use form. This system is amazing.

    I was especially pleased when they opened the site so that I could communicate my primary care doctor using the secure messaging system. Previously, if I had a question, using the phone system was cumbersome and many times I didn’t get through to my providers. With secure messaging, normal inquiries were always answered directly by my doctor or his assistants within 24 hours or less. Most times, if I sent a message in the morning, it was answered the same day.

    I also like using the system to see my various lab results.

    This is a great system and any veteran with a computer should learn how to use it. Once they do, they will love it as I do.

    Regards,
    Ken Mitnick
    #0411

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