NEW FEATURE IN FEBRUARY 2010 GO ONLINE ANYTIME! NEW ONLINE PATIENT PORTAL COMING SOON ..... Foothills Internal Medicine has some exciting news about a new feature we are offering to our patients. We are in the process of implementing an online self-service patient portal. This feature will provide convenient communication for our patients anytime, anywhere, via a secure internet portal. Some of the features that will be available are: • Pre-registration – new patients can fill out all those tedious forms from the comfort of their home; this is also a great benefit for elderly patients who might need a family member to help with this process. • Pre-visit paperwork – any changes in health history, insurance coverage, address, etc. can be sent directly to our office to save time and avoid filling out new forms at the office. • Appointment requests – requests for non-emergency appointments can be sent online with information about patient symptoms. This will allow our staff to more quickly assess your condition and schedule an appropriate appointment. • Pay bills – patients can pay bills on line, saving postage and travel time. • Prescription refills – patients can request refills on line; with our new electronic prescription system this will speed up the process and patients will be notified when refill is processed. • Medical history – patients can provide their own medical history online; these items can be transferred directly to the patient medical chart, ensuring accuracy and more efficient visits. • Lab results – Patient’s lab test results can be sent online. • Questions – Patients can send non-urgent questions to a nurse or billing specialist. We are very excited and pleased that we can offer this new feature for our patients. We feel that it will enhance our communication and the overall care of our patients. Please provide your email address to our office staff at your convenience. We will notify you when this system is up and running. This is a secure password protected HIPAA-compliant system; you can rest assured that your information is protected. CDC RECOMMENDATIONS 2009 H1N1 VACCINE INITIAL TARGET POPULATIONS The initial supply of the 2009 H1N1 vaccines might not be enough to meet the demand. For this reason CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that certain groups at highest risk for infection or influenza-related complications should be the initial targets for vaccination. Additionally, current epidemiologic data indicate that the risk for infection among persons age 65 or older is less than the risk for younger age groups. Therefore, the CDC has recommended the 2009 H1N1 vaccine for the following 5 initial target groups. pregnant women people who live with or care for children less than 6 months of age healthcare and emergency services personnel children and young adults 6 months-24 years persons aged 25-64 years who have health conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related medical complications.