Island Health is rolling out a new system to make it easier for patients to receive and confirm outpatient medical imaging appointments.

Available now in the North and Central Island, and starting March 3 in the South Island, patients enrolled in the MyHealth online portal will receive appointment notifications by text message and email instead of automated phone calls.

Patients who are not registered for MyHealth will continue to receive appointment notifications by telephone.

If a patient cannot be reached after three attempts, the appointment request will be returned to their healthcare provider for follow-up.

MyHealth is a free, secure online portal that gives patients 24/7 access to their personal health information collected at Island Health facilities.

Patients can enroll at MyHealth.

Under the new system, MyHealth users will receive a text message when an appointment is booked. Those who have opted in for email notifications will also receive an email.

The notification will include the hospital location and full address, the type of exam - such as a CT scan, ultrasound or MRI - along with the date and time of the appointment.

Patients will also receive a link to confirm their appointment and review preparation instructions, as well as a phone number to call if they need to cancel, reschedule or have questions.

Appointments for BC Cancer breast screening will continue to be sent by mail and are not affected by the change.

Island Health reminds patients it will never ask for passwords, banking details or payment information by text or email.

To learn more, visit Island Health.