MyChart Frequently Asked Questions
- Enrollment Questions
- What is MyChart?
- Who is MyChart for?
- Is there a fee to use MyChart?
- What do I need in order to use the MyChart website or app?
- Is the functionality of the web version and mobile app the same?
- How do I sign up?
- Personal Information
- Where can I update my personal information (e.g. home address, e-mail or change my password)?
- Personal Information - Why do you need to collect Details About Me?
- Patient uploaded profile photos
- Technical Questions
- I forgot my password. What should I do?
- I was logged out of MyChart, what happened?
- Why am I not receiving email notifications?
- What is two-step verification?
- How long will my two-step verification code last for?
- What if I did not receive my two-step verification code?
- Can I turn off two-step verification?
- Your Medical Record
- When can I see my test results in MyChart?
- Why are certain test results not shared electronically via MyChart?
- Can I see information prior to activating my account?
- If some of my health information on MyChart is not correct, what should I do?
- Can I see my COVID-19 vaccination in MyChart?
- How can I see more of my medical record?
- Can I request my CUH hospital medical record?
- How will I receive my formal copy of my medical record?
- How long will it take to receive a copy of my medical record?
- Your Appointments
- Why did my upcoming appointment disappear from MyChart?
- How do I reschedule an appointment?
- How do I request a change of appointment type e.g. from telephone to face-to-face?
- Why didn’t I receive a printed appointment letter via post?
- Where can I see my appointment details on MyChart?
- Can I print my appointment details?
- Why do I still receive some appointment letters via post?
- How can I request to continue to receive paper copies?
- Messaging and Contact Us
- How can I send a message to a specific team?
- How can I attach files to a message?
- If I send a message to my doctor or nurse, when can I expect a reply?
- Who do I contact if I have further questions?
- Consent for Contact for research
- What are research studies?
- What is ‘consent for contact’ for research?
- How will this be recorded?
- What type of research could I be involved in?
- What happens if I agree to being contacted about research?
- Who are the researchers who might be looking at my hospital healthcare records and contacting me?
- What happens if I don’t agree or want to change my mind?
- Will my personal details be kept confidential?
- Do you have more information?
- MyChart For My Family
- Can I view a family member's health record in MyChart?
- Can I ask questions regarding a family member from my MyChart account?
- Can my spouse and I share one MyChart account?
- General Information
- How is MyChart secure?
- What is your privacy policy?
What is MyChart?
MyChart offers patients personalised and secure online access to portions of their medical records. It enables you to securely use the Internet and the MyChart mobile app to help manage and receive information about your health. With MyChart, you can use the Internet and mobile app to access many features including but not limited to the following:
- View your health summary including allergies and medications.
- View test results.
- View clinic letters and discharge summaries.
- View appointment information.
- Access trusted health information resources.
- Communicate electronically and securely with medical care teams.
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Who is MyChart for?
MyChart is for any patient using Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) services. It is particularly useful for those people who are living with and managing a long-term condition which requires them to visit the hospital regularly.
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Is there a fee to use MyChart?
MyChart is a free service offered to our patients.
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What do I need in order to use the MyChart website or app?
You need a CUH patient record and access to a personal computer or a smart device (e.g. mobile phone/tablet) connected to the Internet and an up-to-date browser (such as Internet Explorer 11, Chrome, Safari, Edge or Firefox). The MyChart app can be downloaded onto your mobile device from the App Store or Google Play.
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Is the functionality of the web version and mobile app the same?
No. There are small differences. The main difference is that you won’t be able to see your communication preferences or be able to suggest allergies or current health issues in the app.
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How do I sign up?
Patients who wish to participate will be activated during their clinic visit. You will be sent an instant activation code to your email address and from there you can set up your account. Patients can also sign up by completing the request a MyChart account form which triggers an automatic activation link which is valid for 24 hours. If incorrect information is provided, the MyChart technical team will be in contact to verify your information and manually send you a MyChart activation code and instructions on how to sign up.
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Where can I update my personal information (e.g. home address, e-mail or change my password)?
- To change your home address, email address and contact details - log into MyChart and select Your Menu, then Personal Information.
- To change your password - log into MyChart and select Your Menu, then Security Settings.
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Personal Information - Why do you need to collect Details About Me?
The Trust is collecting personal information required under the Equality Act 2010 (in relation to the protected characteristics of sex, disability, race, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religious belief, age, marital & civil partnership status, pregnancy, and maternity).
Collecting this data will enable the Trust to understand the profile of patients and the community we serve and ensure that all members of the community are accessing services. This will also enable the Trust to equality monitor services and practices to ensure that no discrimination is taking place and that all groups are receiving the same level of service irrespective of the background and to make changes to meet the support needs for particular groups (such as putting reasonable adjustments in place, through appropriate policies, awareness-campaigns). The questions about individual details are also asked so that the Trust can comply with requirements under the Equality Act 2010. Unless the Trust can effectively monitor access to services, and performance from an equality perspective the trust will not be able to evidence that all patients are treated fairly and equitably. High quality data is important to the NHS as it can lead to improvements in patient care, patient safety and experiences. Please be assured that there are strict rules about how the NHS can use your data. It will only be shared securely and safely for planning, commissioning and research purposes. If you have any further questions then please contact us by email: cuh.accessibility@nhs.net or telephone: 01223 256998.
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Patient uploaded profile photos
Photos uploaded to your MyChart profile from 19 March 2024 via the MyChart website or mobile app will also be uploaded to your Cambridge University Hospitals’ (CUH) electronic medical record and therefore should be a true likeness of you or your proxy i.e. not a photo of a pet or someone who is not the patient. MyChart profile photos uploaded before 19 March 2024 will not be uploaded to your CUH medical record.
If you wish to update your photo held in your CUH medical record then you can do this via the MyChart website or mobile app. Photos must be in .PNG or .JPEG format and maximum file size of 5 MB. Patient profile photos in your medical record will only be used by hospital staff to aid patient identification. You can update your photo at any time, and this will update in your CUH medical record. If you wish to remove your profile photo from MyChart you can do this via the Personalise option in the MyChart menu located under Account Settings. If you wish to remove your photo from your CUH medical record, then please contact your clinic.
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I forgot my password. What should I do?
Click the Forgot Password link on the sign-in page to reset your password online.
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I was logged out of MyChart, what happened?
We aim to protect your privacy and security of your information. While logged into MyChart, if your session remains idle for 15 minutes or more, you will be automatically logged out of all MyChart sessions you have open. We recommend that you log out of your MyChart session if you need to leave your computer for even a short period of time.
If you have entered an incorrect password too many times (website or app) you will be automatically redirected to the password reset section. This also contains the link to the ‘Contact Us’ page if you need support re-setting your account. You will also receive an email asking you to reset your password.
If you have too many failed password reset attempts, your account will be deactivated. You will be notified by email which includes a link to the ‘Contact Us’ form so you can request to re-activate your account. You can also access the ‘Contact Us’ form link on the mobile app from the password reset page.
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Why am I not receiving email notifications?
MyChart users can manage some of their notification settings in MyChart itself, including which email address to use. Although MyChart will send the message to the email address, it cannot verify whether or not it was received. It is possible that the user’s email filter will screen out the message or place it in the spam folder. Check you have entered your correct address and that the message hasn’t been sent to your Spam folder. We also advise adding donotreply_mychart@addenbrookes.nhs.uk to your contacts or safe senders list.
In addition, you can set push notifications within the MyChart mobile app. These are pop-up messages that appear on your mobile device independently of email messages. You can switch on notifications under Account Settings.
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What is two-step verification?
Two-step verification is an additional level of security to help keep your account secure. After turning on this security feature, we will ask you for an additional verification code which will be sent by email (text messaging is not currently available). This will help make sure only you have access to your account. Two-step verification is used during sign-up, login and password reset.
Switching on two-step verification applies this setting to your MyChart account, not just to the specific device that you were using at the time. For example if you enable this on your mobile app, you will also be prompted to enter a two-step verification code when logging in using a tablet or PC.
You can choose ‘skip next time’ to postpone two-step verification again for 90 days. This is defaulted on the app in the setting for ‘trust this device next time’. The ‘skip’ setting is device specific, so if you skip on your mobile app for example, then you will still need to choose skip on other devices or web browsers if you wish.
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How long will my two-step verification code last for?
You have 20 minutes to use your code. When retrieving your code from your email, please do not close the MyChart app/website. You must keep the ‘Verify Your Identity’ page running until you enter your new code. If you do close the ‘Verify Your Identity’ page and attempt a new login, sign-up or password reset then your code will become invalid and a new code will be required.
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What if I did not receive my two-step verification code?
Try checking the spam or junk folders in your email. If the email with the code is not there, try clicking the Resend Code link located on the Verify Your Identity pop-up where you enter your code. If you still didn't receive the email then please do contact us.
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Can I turn off two-step verification?
The first time you log in to your account you have the option to turn off two-step verification. If you have already enabled this feature you can subsequently turn this off via the Security Settings section on the website or via the Account Settings in the mobile app. If you are having trouble accessing your account then you can contact us and we can turn off two-step verification for you.
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When can I see my test results in MyChart?
The majority of test results, such as blood and urine tests, are released to your MyChart account automatically at the same time as they are to your clinical teams/GP or whoever ordered the test for processing at CUH. This means that in many cases you will likely see information before the clinicians caring for you have had an opportunity to discuss these results with you. Please then do allow time for clinical review of your latest test results.
Histopathology, cytology and diagnostic imaging results, such as ultrasound, x-rays, echoes etc., are released 21 days from the date the reports are finalised. The imaging test results are provided as written reports. Diagnostic images are not displayed on MyChart but can be requested via the Access to Health Records department. Please see the ‘Access to Health Records’ section of the privacy policy webpage for further details: https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/patient-privacy/.
A history of your tests taken as vitals recorded in your visits can be seen in the ‘Vitals – 1 value per visit report’ in the Health Reports section of MyChart. You have the option to view your vitals in a graph or table format.
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Your clinical team determines which types of test results can be accessed through MyChart. Tests of a very sensitive nature, such as HIV and genetics, are not released to MyChart. If you have further questions regarding test results or you have not received a result that you are expecting, please discuss them at your next visit or contact your clinical team.
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Can I see information prior to activating my account?
Letters and test results that were released prior to account activation will not be visible in MyChart. It is possible for some test results to be released manually. Please contact your clinical team to request this.
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If some of my health information on MyChart is not correct, what should I do?
Your MyChart information comes directly from your electronic medical record held at CUH. If you are concerned that information is incorrect for current health issues, allergies and medications you can request to add or remove these records from within MyChart. These requests are flagged to the clinician when they next view your chart – usually these are discussed with you at their next appointment. The clinician can accept the changes and they will then be reconciled within your electronic medical record or they can be rejected.
You also have the ability to send a message to your clinic from your MyChart account to query your record. If your specific clinic isn’t yet set up for messaging on MyChart, you can email the Information Governance team on cuh.gdpr@nhs.net.
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Can I see my COVID-19 vaccination in MyChart?
Yes, if you had your vaccination at CUH you will see the details under the immunisation section.
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How can I see more of my medical record?
You will need to apply to the Hospital to request access. Please see the ‘Access to Health Records’ section of the privacy policy webpage https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/patient-privacy/.
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Can I request my CUH hospital medical record?
Yes you can request your medical record in MyChart by answering a few questions on the Request a Formal Copy page.
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How will I receive my formal copy of my medical record?
You will receive an email confirming your requested medical information is ready to view or download. The PDF of your medical record will be available to view and download in the Requested Records section.
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How long will it take to receive a copy of my medical record?
We will aim to process all valid applications within one calendar month of receipt of all the information required to process the request. The information will be provided free of charge. Please do not contact our office before one calendar month to chase up a copy of your medical records. If, in the unlikely event, your request will take longer than one calendar month we will be in touch with an estimated timeframe for receipt.
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Why did my upcoming appointment disappear from MyChart?
If your appointment has been cancelled, it will no longer show on the upcoming appointments page and you will receive a notification of the cancellation in your Inbox.
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How do I reschedule an appointment?
You can contact the Appointments Centre to request to rebook your appointment by going to the ‘Your Menu’ and selecting ‘Reschedule an Appointment’. Alternatively you can telephone the booking team using the contact details on your appointment notification or letter.
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How do I request a change of appointment type e.g. from telephone to face-to-face?
It is not currently possible to request a change of appointment type via MyChart. You must telephone the booking team using the contact details on your appointment notification or letter.
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Why didn’t I receive a printed appointment letter via post?
As a MyChart user you benefit from receiving your appointment letters in MyChart when appointments are made for you at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Addenbrooke’s and The Rosie hospitals). You will no longer receive paper copies through the post for new or follow-up outpatient appointment letters – this also includes any letters relating to cancelled appointments, appointments that may have been missed, or rebooked. If you wish to print a copy at home, you can do so from the MyChart website (see below). This change enables patients to continue to receive timely information about appointments to MyChart, and supports the Trust’s sustainability plan to reduce its carbon footprint by reducing duplication of information in printed format.
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Where can I see my appointment details on MyChart?
When an appointment is booked, rescheduled or changed, you will receive an email notification stating that a new message is available for you in MyChart. The notification will appear in your Messages and the details will display on the Visits page. We also have a general information page to help you plan for your appointment. If a clinic needs to send you detailed information about a procedure or admission, you will see this under Letters.
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Can I print my appointment details?
Yes, go to the Visits menu to see your upcoming appointments and click on the Details button to view more information. Use the printer icon at the top of this page to print a copy of your appointment details. You can also print from the Letters page in the same way, if your clinic has sent information to you in a letter.
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Why do I still receive some appointment letters via post?
We will continue to send postal paper copies for procedures, admissions, and appointments that contain special instructions. These appointment letters often contain additional patient leaflets and detailed instructions which are not yet available on MyChart.
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How can I request to continue to receive paper copies?
If you are unable to print at home and you need posted copies of your appointment letters, you can update your preferences to opt in to receive a paper copy. Open Communication Preferences and click the heading for ‘Appointments’ to expand the section. You will see that the email icon is already coloured in as the default for notifications to be sent via MyChart. Click on the post box icon for ‘Appointment Letters’ and you will see the icon change from white to blue. If the icon is coloured in blue then you have opted in to receive letters by post in addition to MyChart. Please consider whether posted copies are absolutely necessary before selecting this option.
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How can I send a message to a specific team?
On the MyChart Home page, click Menu then Ask a Question. This gives you three options; New Question for Your Clinical Team, MyChart Technical Support and Request To Reschedule An Appointment. If your clinic is not yet live with messaging then when you select New Question for Your Clinical Team, then select a type of medical question you will see a message “You do not have any available recipients for messages at this time. Please call your clinic/GP practice for assistance, or call 999 for emergencies”. Please refer to the contact details for your clinic on your appointment message, appointment details on the visits page or appointment letter.
If your clinic is live on the system and you click on New Question for Your Clinical Team and select a type of medical question, you will be presented with your clinical teams who are available for messaging. The options will be different for different patients, according to clinical teams they normally deal with. Your message will be handled by the most appropriate person, but if you want to send a message to a particular individual then you should begin the actual message with ‘For attention of…’.
If you click on MyChart Technical Support, you will be presented with a choice of types of technical support; Website issue or App issue.
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How can I attach files to a message?
When composing your message at the bottom of the page, there is a paperclip button to attach a JPEG, JPG, PNG or PDF file. The allowed file types and file sizes are:
- You can attach up to 3 JPEG, JPG, PNG and PDF files.
- The allowed file types are JPEG, JPG, PNG and PDF. We don’t currently accept other file formats.
- The maximum file size is 5.00 MB per file.
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If I send a message to my doctor or nurse, when can I expect a reply?
MyChart is used to facilitate non-urgent health concerns only. Please allow up to 5 working days for our staff to respond. For urgent or emergency attention please contact your GP or the emergency services as appropriate.
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Who do I contact if I have further questions?
- You can contact clinical teams using the details on your clinic and appointment letters, or telephone the switchboard: 01223 245151.
- If you feel the information in your medical record is incorrect, please email the Information Governance team: cuh.gdpr@nhs.net.
- For appointment requests or queries - please use the administration messaging option or the ‘Reschedule an Appointment’ form, or the contact details on your appointment notification/letter.
- If you require any support for your appointment, eg if you find it hard to hear, see or be understood by others, please tell the receptionist on arrival at the clinic or contact us by email: cuh.accessibility@nhs.net or telephone: 01223 256998.
- For technical queries or support using the MyChart website or mobile app, please use the messaging option for Technical Support within MyChart or contact us.
- If you are having issues accessing your MyChart account and you have tried Forgot Password and Forgot Username or if have a general enquiry regarding MyChart then please do contact us.
- If you wish to raise a concern or complaint about your care or treatment - please contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).
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Consent for Contact for Research – Frequently Asked Questions
Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) is a family of hospitals comprising Addenbrooke’s and The Rosie, providing expert care, ground-breaking research, and transformative teaching. We are dedicated to improving the health and well-being of people in our community, including through undertaking research in partnership with our patients.
Volunteers who take part in medical research play a crucial role in improving the lives of thousands of people every year. Nearly all this research needs help from those affected by health conditions to make it possible. Through research we can develop better treatments and you can help us to achieve this.
A major barrier to medical research is being able to identify potential participants. The aim of ‘consent for contact’ for research is to make this much easier and more efficient.
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What is ‘consent for contact’ for research?
This indicates that you give permission to be contacted in the future about research projects you might be suitable for and willing to contribute to. Across our hospitals this will make research recruitment much quicker and more efficient.
You decide whether or not to actually participate in future studies at the time. At this stage all we are asking is for your permission to contact you and inform you about research.
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How will this be recorded?
We will ask you to record this within your MyChart account. If you change your mind in the future you can simply update your preference on MyChart.
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What type of research could I be involved in?
There are different types of research you may be invited to take part in. Some studies may be looking into the cause of health conditions while others may be finding out if new treatments are effective. All research you are invited to take part in has been approved to run in the NHS.
Taking part may involve talking about your own experiences, completing a questionnaire, allowing access to data in your health records or trying out a new kind of treatment. Participation may include face to face meetings with a researcher or meeting via phone or video call.
We will always let you know details of what is involved before you decide if you would like to take part in any specific research project. You will also be given plenty of time to think about it and ask any questions.
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What happens if I agree to being contacted about research?
This will allow researchers working on approved projects to review your healthcare records at Addenbrooke’s and The Rosie hospitals and see if you match criteria for their studies based for example on your symptoms, diagnosis or current medication.
The researchers may then contact you via email, phone, or letter, giving you information about the study and inviting you to participate if you are interested.
Please don’t worry if you don’t hear from researchers straight away. There may not be any current studies suitable to share with you.
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Who are the researchers who might be looking at my hospital healthcare records and contacting me?
All research at CUH is closely managed to protect patients and participants. Every research study has a named leader (the ‘principle investigator’) and every team member has to be trained to international standards and identified on the ‘delegation log’ for every study they contribute to. The principal investigator is responsible for their research staff. All the research staff have an employment contract with CUH.
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What happens if I don’t agree or want to change my mind?
It is entirely up to you whether you agree to consent for contact for research. You don’t have to give a reason for your answer and this won’t affect your care. Your decision will be recorded in your hospital healthcare records but you can change your mind at any time, and simply update your preference on MyChart.
Regardless of your response to the current ‘consent for contact’ approach, your care team may still approach you about specific research projects they feel may be of direct interest to you in the future. We may also ask about your interest in providing consent for contact in the future so you have the opportunity to agree at another time. Please simply decline the offer if not interested.
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Will my personal details be kept confidential?
All Trust staff comply with the Data Protection Act (2018) to make sure your confidentiality is protected at all times.
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Do you have more information?
If you want to find out more please see the following websites:
https://bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk/
https://cambridgebrc.nihr.ac.uk/
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Can I view a family member's health record in MyChart?
Yes, parents / guardians can sign up to access their child’s health record in Epic via MyChart with a proxy-enabled function. A child can have up to two proxies with access to their MyChart account:
- For children aged 0 to 12 years, parents / guardians can request MyChart proxy access without the child’s assent.
- For children aged 13 to 15 years, MyChart proxy access will be granted to the person with parental responsibility if the child also gives assent. If the child wishes to withdraw proxy access, the clinician may agree to that request in their absolute discretion.
- Young adults aged 16 and 17 years can request MyChart access to their own MyChart account. Any existing proxy access for 15 year olds is automatically revoked on their 16th birthday. Young adults can grant proxy access between the ages of 16-17 and request termination of proxy accounts at any time. However proxy access will be revoked when the patient turns 18 years old.
Proxy accounts can be (re-) activated as follows:-
- The child gives assent for continued or new proxy access.
- The clinician confirms that the child lacks capacity. Under these circ*mstances discretion lies with the managing consultant to determine continued proxy access.
- Other lawful reasons when continued access is necessary.
- Proxy accounts for MyChart will be created by Children’s Services at an in-person appointment.
In future we will be looking at a similar model for adults. Please contact the CUH Access to Health Records Department if access is required to an adult’s health record (e.g. where there is a Lasting Power of Attorney covering health and welfare).
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Can I ask questions regarding a family member from my MyChart account?
Yes, but only if you have proxy access to a MyChart account for a child under 16 years. You can message the clinic on behalf of the child if this is set up for that particular clinic.
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No, due to the sensitive nature of medical information, each adult must sign and submit a Release of Information request and establish their own MyChart account. We advise new users to obtain their own personal e-mail account that can be associated to MyChart upon activation.
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How is MyChart secure?
We take great care to ensure your health information is kept private and secure. Access to information is controlled through secure activation codes, personal usernames, and passwords. Each person controls their password, and the account cannot be accessed without using that password. On mobile, the account may also be accessed using face ID, passcode or fingerprint login. Unlike conventional email, all MyChart messaging is done while you are securely logged in to our website or mobile app. MyChart uses the latest encryption technology which means that your MyChart sessions are encrypted to a very high level.
You can ensure that your account stays secure even if someone else has your username or password by turning on two-step verification. When this feature is turned on, you must enter a code that is sent to you by email to log in to MyChart, in addition to using your username and password. For more information, check out What is two-step verification?
You might receive emails that contain links to MyChart such as activation emails or pre-appointment task emails. These emails allow you to login to MyChart securely using a link that expires after a short time and by verifying your personal demographics. Keeping your MyChart account secure means keeping your phone number and email account secure. If you think that your phone number or email account may be compromised, you can change the phone number or email account on file on the "Personal Information" page or please do contact us.
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What is your Privacy Policy?
MyChart is owned and operated by Epic and is fully compliant with UK laws relating to your privacy. Your name and e-mail address will be treated with the same care and privacy given your health records and will never be sold or leased by MyChart, Epic or Cambridge University Hospitals. Please see this link for further details https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/patient-privacy/.
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