This feature must be enabled by your health care organization to be available in your patient portal.
The Unsecure Email feature uses unencrypted transport methods. This mode of transmission is offered as an alternative to Secure Messaging. Secure Messaging takes place within the patient portal. Unsecure Email can be used to communicate outside of the portal. Unsecure Email requires that you know your recipient's email address.
Do not use email to communicate urgent health problems.
Help Topics on This Page
- Compose Unsecure Email Message
- Unsecure Email Message Field Descriptions
- Undeliverable Unsecure Email Message
- Unsecure Email Message Frequently Asked Questions
Compose Unsecure Email Message
Note: Unsecure email message drafts are not saved.
Complete the following steps to Compose Unsecure Email Message (for detailed information about each field see the Unsecure Email Message Field Descriptions topic):
- From the main menu select Messaging > Compose Unsecure Email or from the Health Care Documents page, select at least one document check box, then select Actions > Send Documents Unsecure (Email). The New Unsecure Email dialog box opens.
- Enter the recipient's email address in the "To" field. The "To" field is required. See the "To" field description for more information.
- The system defaults the "CC" field to the email address on file for your portal user account. If you want to edit the email address or add more email addresses, make your edits and additions. See the "CC" field description for more information.
- The system defaults the "Reply to" field to the email address on file for your portal user account. If you want replies to go to a different address, edit the email address. The "Reply to" field is required. See the "Reply to" field description for more information.
- If you want to add Attachments, select Add Attachments. You can attach patient portal Health Care Documents only. See the Attachments field description for more information.
- Enter email message "Subject". Subject is required. See the "Subject" field description for more information.
- If you want to include a message, enter it in the text editor window.
- Select the user agreement acknowledgement check box. This is required. The Send button is enabled once all required fields are populated. Required fields are: To; Reply to; From; Subject; and the Acknowledgment Check Box. See the Acknowledgement Check Box topic for more information.
- Select Send.
Note: Unsecure email messages are not saved in the patient portal. The Inbox, Sent, and Archive features available with Secure Messaging are not available with Unsecure Email.
Unsecure Email Message Field Descriptions
The following table contains detailed information about each field in the New Unsecure Email dialog box.
| Unsecure Email Message Field Descriptions |
| Field |
Required |
Description |
| To |
Y |
- Enter the recipient’s email address in the "To" field. When you compose an unsecure email message you cannot search for an email address like you can when you compose a secure message. You must know the email addresses of your intended recipients.
- Separate multiple email addresses with a semicolon.
- Correct email address formatting is validated by the system. If the system detects an incorrect email address format, it displays a warning message; however, there is no validation check for misspelling an email address.
See the Compose Unsecure Email Message topic for steps to create an unsecure email message.
|
| CC |
N |
- The system defaults the "CC" field to the email address that is on file for your portal user account.
- A copy of the email message you compose will be sent to the email address displayed in the "CC" field.
- The email message you receive at the address in the "CC" field will be your only record of the unsecure email message you sent because unsecure email that is sent is not saved to a Sent box in the system.
- You can edit the email address in the "CC" field prior to sending your email message. The unsecure email message you compose will be sent to the updated email address.
- Changing the email address in the "CC" field does not change the email address that is on file for your portal user account in the system. A change to the email address in the "CC" field affects only the unsecure email message you are currently composing.
- See the User Profile topic for information on editing your portal account user profile, including email address.
See the Compose Unsecure Email Message topic for steps to create an unsecure email message.
|
| Reply to |
Y |
- The system defaults the "Reply to" field to the email address that is on file for your portal user account.
- All replies to the unsecure email message you send will be sent to this address.
- If you want replies to go to a different address, edit the email address in the "Reply to" field prior to sending your unsecure email message.
- Changing the email address in the "Reply to" field does not change the email address that is on file for your portal user account in the system. A change to the email address in the "Reply to" field affects only the unsecure email message you are currently composing.
- See the User Profile topic for information on editing your portal account user profile, including email address.
See the Compose Unsecure Email Message topic for steps to create an unsecure email message.
|
| From |
Y |
- The message recipient will see this text in the "From" column in their email application's inbox and in the unsecure email message.
- It contains the organization sponsoring the patient portal, the patient portal user's name and the patient's name. If the portal user and patient are the same, the name is displayed only once.
- You cannot edit this field.
See the Compose Unsecure Email Message topic for steps to create an unsecure email message.
|
| Attachments |
N |
- You can add attachments from your Health Care Documents to your unsecure email message.
- You cannot attach documents from your device or any location other than the Health Care Documents location in the portal.
- Be aware that there is a maximum message size which is indicated at the bottom of the Attachments dialog box.
See the Compose New Unsecure Email topic for steps to create an unsecure email message.
|
| Subject |
Y |
Enter a "Subject" for your unsecure email message; briefly describe the intention or purpose of the email message.
See the Compose Unsecure Email Message topic for steps to create an unsecure email message.
|
| Acknowledgement Check Box |
Y |
Select the check box to acknowledge the following statements:
- You have chosen to send your health information to an email address that uses unencrypted transport methods and you fully understand the risks involved with sending in this manner.
- You will not be notified within the patient portal of undeliverable email messages. You must confirm offline with your recipient that they received your email message.
See the Compose Unsecure Email Message topic for steps to create an unsecure email message.
|
Undeliverable Unsecure Email Message
If you misspell a recipient's email address, your message will be undeliverable, even though the email address format may be correct. You will not be notified that your email message was undeliverable and therefore did not reach the intended recipient. This is one of the aspects of unsecure email that you acknowledge when you select the check box on the New Unsecure Email dialog. If necessary, follow up with your recipient to confirm they received your email message.
Unsecure Email Message Frequently Asked Questions
- I sent an unsecure email message. Why do I not see it in the Secure Message Inbox > Sent tab?
- Unsecure email messages are not saved in the patient portal. When you send an unsecure email message, you will not see it in the Secure Messaging > Sent tab or anywhere else within the patient portal.
- How do I keep a copy of the unsecure email message I am sending?
- A copy of your unsecure email message is sent to the email address specified in the "CC" field. The system defaults the "CC" field to the email address on file for your portal user account. You can change the email address. Any changes you make apply only to the unsecure email you are currently creating. Go to the inbox of the email address specified in the "CC" field to see the copy of the unsecure email message you sent.
- Why do I not see replies to my unsecure email message in the Secure Messaging > Inbox tab.
- There is no incoming email transmission to the patient portal. A recipient's reply to your unsecure email message is sent to the email address that was specified in your unsecure email message's "Reply to" field. The system defaults the "Reply to" field to the email address on file for your portal user account. You can edit the address before sending your unsecure email message if you want to change where replies are sent. Any changes you make apply only to the unsecure email you are currently creating.
- Do the Secure Messaging Inbox and other tabs have anything to do with Unsecure Email Messages?
- No, the Secure Messaging Inbox and other tabs do not apply to Unsecure Email Messages.
- Can I attach files from my device to my unsecure email message?
- No, you can attach files from your patient portal Health Care Documents location only.