Sent several messages using the portal to my doctor about an RX submitted incorrectly. It took 3 weeks with multiple portal messages and the provider stating they didn’t receive the messages. I’ve been a patient of this clinic for 25 years and have never had an issue with messages not being received and responded to within 24 hours. RX was finally submitted so I verified by checking the RX portion of the portal and was given a message the RX had not been submitted because it was being held for up to an additional 3 days to search for the best pricing! This was a generic medication that’s been around for many years and the cost is usually around $15 for 90 pills. I called the portal support line and asked for the hold to be released as I had already waited 3 weeks. The person I spoke with had no idea what I was talking about. I asked to speak with a manager and she took my information to receive a call back. It’s been 3 days and I haven’t received a response from the portal manager. The RX wasn’t released for the additional 3 days. Lastly, there was no message regarding their so called search for the best pricing. If the portal has been configured to arbitrarily hold any medication for best pricing research I expect to see the results of the search that took 3 days to complete! This is just one example of the horrible performance of this portal. I have two more that are in process waiting for a response.

This new system is a huge disappointment. I get change is hard to adjust to but this system is not user friendly. I used to be able to schedule an appointment with any doctor and now it limits me to only my primary care doctor who is over a month out for appointments. So if I want something sooner with a PA or different doctor I have to call and wait on the phone. Today I called to schedule an ultrasound and was on hold for 59 minutes. I called radiology a few weeks ago to schedule a colonoscopy and was on hold for well over half an hour to then be told there were 1,200 people ahead of me trying to make appointments and someone would get back to me in weeks or a month. Why aren’t you bringing in temps to help with backlog!! Are you trying to get people to leave Virginia Mason to other medical facilities? I have been a patient there 50+ years!

The site is difficult to navigate compared to the old system. For example it’s unclear how to renew or refill a prescription. When I went through the pharmacy for a refill first the insurance said they would not cover a prescription I have been taking continuously for seven years with no problems. Then the pharmacy said the prescription was not done correctly and they couldn’t fill it. When I got on Common Spirit it indicated fill had been done but the instructions for use had changed but I didn’t see any difference. Right next to it was an indication it see what changed but nothing happened when I clicked it. When my spouse wanted a renewal there was no indication how to do that ( used to be a single click ). After much back and forth she got a message that it was denied but her pharmacy filled it. What used to be a simple procedure has turned into a tedious, error filled mess.

In a few words the app is just trashy. Full of incorrect and confusing information, the doctors and nurses seem to see something different on their side, reminders are frequently wrong or unnecessary but cannot be removed. Messaging is terrible now, and randomly I cannot reply to the people sending me messages and I just have to start new inquiries. Also dont wait more than a day or two or it will also decide you can’t message people. Gives labs to you before the doctor can look a them which is just straight up dumb and creates confusion. Just all around a huge downgrade made by terrible people who use religion to try and justify bad decisions. Bloated Administration from CHI Franciscan, now CommonSpirit, have destroyed what were once good hospitals but hey at least they put a cross on it.