Patient portal helps Bloomer man stay connected

Imagine the awe your grandparents or great-grandparents felt as they watched television for the first time.

Having a television in most U.S. homes is old news by now, but some of the same folks who remember getting their first TV long ago are turning to newer screens these days to see the most amazing programming yet — their own healthcare.

Rebuilding health

David Snippen, 66, is a retired carpenter and contractor who built houses for most of his life. He and his wife, Myra, live in Bloomer, and his two daughters and three grandchildren reside nearby in Eau Claire.

But when David was diagnosed with emphysema, a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), five years ago, he had something new to build: his lung capacity.

"I was having trouble breathing, and my oxygen levels were low," says David. "I went through a pulmonary assessment and found that I definitely had COPD. It was caused by smoking, for the most part."

His doctor, Kristen Bruxvoort, M.D., a Family Medicine physician at Mayo Clinic Health System in Bloomer, says when she met David she knew he probably had COPD.

"You can pretty much diagnose it based on history and one chest X-ray," she says. "But a pulmonary function test really defines it."

The missing link

David has an oxygen tank to help him breathe at home and carries a small, portable tank for travel.

"I'm active. I move around as much as I can," he says. But those aren't his only medical conveniences. David uses the Mayo Clinic patient portal to stay on top of his healthcare from his computer.

"I have a lot of appointments," David says. "I usually follow up on those by going on my account to check the documents. Sometimes when you're done talking to doctors, you might not remember what they said. But the documents on the patient portal are pretty thorough."

David also uses the portal's messaging feature.

"Dr. Bruxvoort and I have conversed a few times through messaging," he says. "She's really good at responding. I'm very happy with the healthcare I've gotten."

"It's so easy to send a note through the patient portal because you save the stamp, you save the fuss and the patient receives it instantly," says Dr. Bruxvoort. "Not having to pick up that phone is a huge time saver for everyone."

Everyone wins

"When I first heard about the patient portal, we wondered if people would be upset about what we say about them in the notes," says Dr. Bruxvoort. But she says the opposite has happened. Patients appreciate seeing how much their physicians pay attention to them.

"It's good," David says of the patient portal.

"I read the notes after procedures, and it reinforces what they told me when I saw them. My records from over the years are all right there and very precise. I like it a lot — I really do."

Create your patient portal account

For years it's been possible to shop, bank and make travel reservations online. Now it's just as easy to manage your healthcare online too. The patient portal gives you access to your lab results, medication lists and healthcare provider notes. You can also check your upcoming appointments, request appointments or prescription refills and communicate with your providers.

If you are a parent, guardian, caregiver or have legal authority for healthcare decisions, you may request permission to view healthcare information and send messages on behalf of your child or someone you care for using the portal.

Registration is easy. You'll need your Mayo Clinic patient number, which is located on your billing statements and any pre-visit questionnaires, and an email address to create an account.

For assistance setting up an account or using the patient portal, call the support line at 877-858-0398.