Frequently Asked Questions

The following hospitals are participating in myMedStar:

• MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
• MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital
• MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center
• MedStar Harbor Hospital
• MedStar National Rehabilitation Network
• MedStar Union Memorial Hospital
• MedStar Washington Hospital Center

For MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center, visit
http://mymedstarsouthernmaryland.com/

For MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, visit
http://portal.medstarmontgomery.org

For MedStar St. Mary’s, visit the MyCare link

The myMedStar patient portal uses highly secure, built-in 128 secure-socket layer encryption technology with no caching to automatically encrypt your session. In regard to email, unlike conventional email, all myMedStar messaging is done while you are securely logged into our website to protect the privacy and confidentiality of personal information that is transmitted. Also, unlike conventional email, which relies on multiple file servers distributed across the Internet, myMedStar uses a centrally-managed, internal secure database which ensures that messages cannot be intercepted, deleted, copied, or altered in any way.

In addition, you create your own username, password, and secret questions. All medical information is stored safely behind the MedStar firewall. Only you, your healthcare providers, and their authorized staff can read your myMedStar messages. For further information, click on the Privacy Policy link at the bottom of any page after you log on.

No, myMedStar is free to all MedStar patients.

Accounts can be established for anyone age 18 or older who is a patient at a participating MedStar facility or provider.

MedStar Health is dedicated to helping improve your overall health care experience by providing convenient, streamlined resources to help you better manage your health. We now offer the ability for you to securely connect some of the health management apps you may use (i.e. fitness trackers, dietary trackers, etc.) to your health record. Email us at [email protected] if you are interested.

Once we receive your request, MedStar Health will work with the appropriate vendors to determine if they meet the technical requirements in order to establish a secure connection.

We certainly hope you find myMedStar helpful and will continue your membership. However, if you wish to cancel your membership, send an email to [email protected] and advise us that you wish to cancel your membership. Or call myMedStar support toll-free at 877-745-5656 anytime, 24/7.

Yes, with proxy access, a personal representative (parent, guardian, spouse, son, daughter, etc.) may be granted access to all functions of myMedStar on behalf of a patient. Proxy access must be requested and applied for in person.

Parents/legal guardians may request “proxy access” to the medical records of their children. At age 13 most medical information will be blocked. However, parents will still have access to immunization records and may make requests on behalf of a minor patient. Proxy access must be requested and applied for in person.

Yes, with patient permission, a personal representative may be granted access to all functions of myMedStar on behalf of a patient. Proxy access must be requested and applied for in person.

You must be 18 years of age or older to have a myMedStar account. Parents/legal guardians may request “proxy access” to the medical records of their children.

Option 1: E-mail Invitation.

1. During registration, you were asked about your interest in the myMedStar patient portal. If you provided your email address an invitation has already been sent to you.
2. Follow the email instructions to enroll. You will need:
   • First and last name
   • Date of birth
   • Patient ID – Your unique patient ID can be found on page one of your visit or discharge summary

Option 2: Self Enrollment

1. “Click Enroll in myMedStar” at the top of this page.
2. Follow the instructions to enroll. You will need:
   • First and last name
   • Date of birth
   • Patient ID – Your unique patient ID can be found on page one of your visit or discharge summary

There is a link provided for lost passwords. The options will require you to provide an additional security answer in order to recover your password. If you have questions or need assistance creating or accessing your account, please contact myMedStar support toll free at 877-745-5656.

You may send secure email messages to any of the MedStar physicians that you have an ongoing relationship with, such as your primary care physician or a specialist. However, you cannot email a physician who may have treated you in the Emergency Department or a hospitalist physician who may have overseen your general care during a hospital stay.

You will receive a notice at the regular email address that you provided during registration. That notice will have a link to your secure message which you can click on to sign into myMedStar and read your message.

Once you successfully enroll in myMedStar, you will be able to send a message to your doctor to request, reschedule and cancel appointments, request physician referrals, renew prescriptions, request medical records, or ask a general question. The myMedStar patient portal should not be used for urgent situations. Please dial 911 if it is an emergency.

For most requests, you should hear back from your physician’s office within one business day. Exceptions may be lab or medical tests, which may take up to three days. If you have not gotten a response from your participating physician’s office within two business days, phone your physician’s office. The myMedStar patient portal should not be used for urgent situations. Please dial 911 if it is an emergency.

Only you, your doctor, and your doctor’s authorized staff can view your myMedStar messages. Members of your doctor’s staff, such as a nurse or receptionist, may be qualified to respond, or prepare responses, just as they would during an office visit or telephone call. Messages are never stored anywhere but on the secure myMedStar server, and they cannot be read enroute, deleted, copied, or altered in any way.

Once you successfully log into myMedStar, select Health Record, and then Patient Information. Make corrections by replacing information in the appropriate box and click “Send Update Request.” Update requests may take 5-7 business days to process.

Contact your healthcare provider’s office directly by phone.

Once you successfully log into myMedStar, select the ellipsis (…) in the bottom left hand corner, select Account, and then Update account settings. From there you can update Account Overview, Personal Information, Password, Security Questions, Email Address, and Mobile Phone.

Once you successfully log into myMedstar, select Health Record and then Visit Summaries. Click the “Download” button next to the Visit Care or Clinical Summary that you wish to download and choose the format for the file.

Once you successfully log into myMedStar, select Health Record and then Visit Summaries. Click the “Send” button next to the Visit Care, Clinical Summary or Transition of Care document that you wish to send. You will need your providers direct email address to send information via your portal account. This is not the doctor’s regular email address. You will have to ask the receiving doctor for their “secure DIRECT protocol email address.”

Please contact our dedicated support line at 1-877-745-5656, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If this is a medical emergency, dial 911.
If you are seeking advice or need to speak to your physician, contact your physician’s office directly.

All lab, radiology, and pathology reports.

Visit Care Summaries will be available within 24 hours of your visit or discharge.