myPennMedicine

For starters the software falls quite short of the ease of electronic communication we have come to expect in 2022. Consider that there’s no way to stop in the middle of composing a message or responding to one to look back to something else in my MyPennMedicine to copy and then paste into the message being composed. There is also a lot of confusing stuff on the app or site. For example, I have been trying without success to schedule the colonoscopy at Princeton that my Penn Medicine “provider” (they were called physicians when I was growing up) ordered recently. I now see that a colorectal cancer screening has been scheduled, in June I think (I can’t go back to that site or page without losing this review). That’s nice. But where is that to take place? Is it an office visit or a procedure? Is it a colonoscopy? Is it on a day I am unavailable? We have scheduled a 2-week vacation in June. A final note: The app and MyPennMedicine are rather pointless if there is nobody at the Penn Medicine end of the communication to respond in a timely manner. Telling me I may get a response in several business days is definitely not timely. And I’m not really talking about quick responses from the physicians. I certainly understand that they, like my wife who is a CHOP physician, are busy practitioners with no spare time to respond to messages that are not urgent or expected after some medical or surgical intervention. I’m referring to the office staff, such as people who are supposed to handle scheduling and routine matters, issues or questions. It seems like there’s nobody there!

The MyPennMedicine app is the absolute best tool I have seen any healthcare system use. Everything you need is in one place and easily accessible on your desktop and or mobile devices. It updates real-time keeps all your visit, studies and testing information at your fingertips. It’s like having ALL your medical records in your hand at all times, X-rays, actual film views, reports, lab tests, eye exams, hearing tests, and doctors notes. All your prescriptions and medical providers are there too. The only thing I would like to see change is that every message you receive have a signature line that includes what message they are responding to and what doctor, practice and practitioner they are responding for. When you have many providers that each have many doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, med techs and clerical staff sometimes it’s difficult know who they are responding for. Having been part of multiple health systems none have been as convenient and all inclusive as Penn Medicines!

The choices that the app gives for scheduling an appt are limited. There atleast should be a box for other so you can add comments or explain what exactly your reason is for requesting the appt not just a generalization hoping your issue is close to the box you checked..... there should also be a spot to write your questions down or notes for the Dr. (They don't have to answer them there it should just be an option). I also think I shouldn't have to request an appt to receive a lab slip to get "routine" blood work done. You should be able to get the lab slip prior to the appt so you can discuss the results at the appt! I have been a patient at Penn Medicine since I was a child I am pretty sure my Mother and I started going there around 1995 and have never left and then when I had my babies they both have been patients at Penn Medicine since their Births and they are 19 and 17 now! We love all of the Dr's past and present just wish when in need of medicine for a cold or ear ache etc they would be willing to call something into pharmacy sometimes it's absurd that you can't get a sick appt within a day or 2 it's more like 2-3 weeks or them telling us to go to urgent care... if we wanted to go to urgent care we would..... Penn Medicine has like 5-7 drs in our office and none of them are available for sick appts for 2-3 weeks???? Smh!!!! It's annoying especially when these are the drs you know, trust and are comfortable with yet they are telling us go to urgent care .....