MyChart Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

MyChart is your secure online health connection. MyChart, which is powered by Epic, Shepherd Center’s electronic health record, offers patients personalized and secure online access to portions of their medical records. It enables you to securely use the internet to help manage and receive information about your health. With MyChart, you have access to your medication list, test results, upcoming appointments, preventative care information, allergies, immunizations, past admissions, insurance coverage and more – all in one secure place. In MyChart, you also can view your to-do list, health reminders and proxy access (for parent, guardian or other caregiver access, if applicable) and access Medline Plus, a search engine for health topics.

MyChart also helps facilitate efficient communication between you and your healthcare team. From MyChart, you can send a message to a member of your healthcare team and receive answers to non-urgent medical questions. You can also get responses to your questions and requests for prescriptions and refills, test results, medical provider visits and referrals to other providers.

You do not need to pay to use MyChart. Shepherd Center offers MyChart as a free service to patients.

Our team will provide you with a MyChart activation code in the after-visit summary you will receive following your next outpatient appointment, or you may call Shepherd Center’s MyChart support Team at 404-425-7250 or email MyChartSupport@shepherd.org to request a MyChart activation code. After receiving your activation code, you will visit mychart.shepherd.org to set up your account and log in.

If you already use MyChart through Piedmont Healthcare, you automatically have access to your Shepherd Center MyChart. You can visit mychart.shepherd.org and enter your existing Piedmont log-in credentials.

Shepherd Center recommends that MyChart users to enable two-factor authentication to protect the security of their personal health information in the patient portal. Download MyChart document for instructions.

Shepherd recommends that you create a unique password just for use for Shepherd MyChart access. Your password should be at least eight characters long and contain a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters.

Shepherd further recommends that MyChart users to enable two-factor authentication to further protect the security of your personal health information in MyChart. Two factor authentication requires both a password and a code sent to your email address in order to access MyChart. Download MyChart this document for instructions.

You may call your main point of contact in your outpatient clinic, or call Shepherd Center’s MyChart Support Team at 404-425-7250.

Our goal is to have every inpatient at Shepherd Center registered for MyChart before being discharged from Shepherd Center. Please ask your case manager to assist in getting set up on MyChart.

Patients under age 18 will need an adult to serve as a healthcare proxy. For various reasons, we also allow adult-to-adult healthcare proxies. You can download the healthcare proxy forms here. You should return the completed form to Shepherd Center at mychartproxy@shepherd.org. We recommend that you use the Shepherd Center Zix Secure Email Portal to securely email your attachment. Download the Zix Secure Email Account document for information on how to use Shepherd Center’s Secure Email Portal. You may also return your completed form via U.S. mail to Health Information Management, Shepherd Center, 2020 Peachtree Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30309; or fax it to 404-603-4520.

With MyChart, you have access to your medication list, test results, upcoming appointments, preventative care information, allergies, immunizations, past admissions, insurance coverage and more – all in one secure place.

Yes! Your MyChart account includes a messaging section where you can send and receive secure messages. You will generally receive a reply within one to three business days. You should not use MyChart for urgent situations. Please call your local medical center if the situation requires immediate attention, or call 911 if it is an emergency.

Your test results will be viewable in MyChart immediately after the test is completed and final results are available. Based on the sensitive nature of certain tests, there are some results that may not be released to MyChart.

Yes! This is called proxy access and allows a parent or guardian to log in to their personal MyChart account and then connect to information regarding their family member. We also allow adult-to-adult healthcare proxy. You will need to complete a proxy form and follow the instructions at mychart.shepherd.org. You should return the completed form to your Shepherd Center via email to mychartproxy@shepherd.org or via U.S. mail to Health Information Management, Shepherd Center, 2020 Peachtreee Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30309. You may also fax it to 404-603-4520.

You can contact Shepherd Center’s MyChart Support Team at 404-425-7250. Please leave a message with your name, telephone number and a brief description of your need. You may also email your name, telephone number and brief description of your need to MyChartSupport@shepherd.org. A representative will return your call or email as soon as possible during regular business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can click on the “forgot password” link to reset your password online.

The COVID-19 section in Shepherd Center’s MyChart patient portal gives you information about your COVID-19 vaccination and testing status all in one place. If you need to show proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test status – perhaps to travel or enter an event – the COVID-19 section makes this information easily accessible and shareable.

By selecting “COVID-19” from the Shepherd Center MyChart menu, you may do the following:

• Quickly view your vaccination status and any recent COVID-19 test results.
• Download proof of vaccination into a PDF.
• Generate a QR code (SMART Health Card) for vaccination or test results that can be scanned or printed. The codes can be scanned right from your mobile device by anyone who requires proof of vaccination or test result and has a scanner.
• Export information from the QR codes to another app, such as a digital Health Wallet.
• Get helpful resources about COVID-19 from the CDC.

Note: Your vaccination status and number of doses received in this section is dependent upon the information Shepherd Center (and Piedmont Healthcare if you are also their patient) has in your electronic health record from the Georgia Registry of Immunization Transactions and Services (GRITS) and may also vary based your vaccine eligibility. The vaccination status is meant to show status of the primary vaccination series (one dose for Johnson & Johnson and two doses for Moderna or Pfizer).

1. Make sure you have the latest version of the MyChart app on your device. Check for updates through the app store. 
2. Log in to your Shepherd Center MyChart account.
3. From the menu, go to My Record > COVID-19.
4. To generate a barcode that can be scanned an organization that has requested it, click QR Codes. If you have both COVID-19 vaccinations and recent lab results on file, you'll have separate QR Codes for the vaccine doses and test results.

1. Make sure you have the latest version of the MyChart app on your device. Check for updates through the app store.

2. Log in to your Shepherd Center MyChart account.

3. From the menu, go to My Record > COVID-19.

4. Select Download/Export and then Download vaccination PDF (on the MyChart mobile app) or Download (on the MyChart website). You can then save the PDF to your computer or mobile device and print or email if needed.

To export your QR Codes into Health Wallet or another similar app, follow the steps below.

For iPhone:

1. Make sure you have iOS version 15 or higher.
2. From the menu of your Shepherd MyChart account, go to My Record > COVID-19
3. Select Download/Export.
4. Your QR code/Smart Health Card will export to Apple Health.
5. With iOS version 15.1 or higher, you will be able to move your QR code/Smart Health Card from Apple Health app into your Apple Wallet.

For Android:

1. To export your QR Code, you’ll need to download a separate Health Wallet mobile app. Some examples include Common Pass, Common Health, or Clear Health Pass.
2. From the menu of your Shepherd Center MyChart account, go to My Record > COVID-19
3. Select Download/Export.
4. Your QR code/Smart Health Card will export to the health wallet app on your phone.

A vaccine you received at a non-Shepherd Center location might not be in your Shepherd medical record.  Shepherd Center is only able to generate a QR code for COVID-19 vaccines we administered, vaccines our staff have verified and documented historically, or vaccines our staff have reconciled through the Georgia Registry of Immunization Transactions and Services (GRITS) query process.

Shepherd Center’s MyChart will only show a QR Code for a COVID-19 test completed at Shepherd Center or a Piedmont Healthcare location, as our medical record clinical partner. Testing at other facilities will not be seen inside MyChart.

If a vaccine or test result is not showing in your COVID-19 Activity, patients should request the information from their primary care provider or the location where their immunization or testing was performed.

Your vaccination status and number of doses received in the COVID-19 section may vary depending on what our system says you are eligible to receive. As eligibility for third and booster doses is changing, we do our best to determine which doses of COVID-19 vaccine you are eligible for based on the information in your medical record.

The COVID-19 portal information vaccination status is designed to show completion (or not) of the primary vaccination series (one dose for Johnson & Johnson and two doses for Moderna or Pfizer).

• A QR Code is a scannable barcode that can be read by another computer or device
• The QR code is created in Shepherd Center’s MyChart according to an open industry standard called SMART Health Cards. They contain verified information and only what is relevant to COVID-19. Visit the SMART Health Card website to learn more about SMART Health Cards.
• The QR code is another way of demonstrating your COVID-19 vaccination and/or test status at places where it may be required, such as for travel, returning to work, or even going to a concert. It can be scanned at a business or venue, instead of having to carry a paper CDC vaccine card that can easily get lost or damaged.
• When scanned, the code will show your legal name, birthdate, vaccination status or most recent COVID-19 test results. It will also show that your QR code comes from our medical record verified issuer, called “Piedmont Healthcare/Affiliates and Shepherd Center.”

Right now, different organizations have different rules for verifying vaccinations or test results. For example, some countries may have different rules than others. If an organization requests a QR Code or says they are able to scan SMART Health Cards, your QR Code from Shepherd Center should be accepted. All organizations should provide options for users who don’t have or prefer not to use a SMART Health Card.

The QR Code contains the very minimum amount of information required to show vaccination or test status. Just the patient’s name, date of birth, and the following:

For vaccines:

• Date(s) of dose(s) given
• Manufacturer
• Lot Number
• Performer

For a COVID test:

• Date of test
• Type of test
• Result
• Performer

Once you generate a QR Code, it does not expire. If you have a change in your vaccination status or receive a new COVID-19 test result, you can generate a new QR code that will contain your updated information.

Patients may request an MyChart account through your main point of contact in your outpatient clinic. Our goal is to have every inpatient at Shepherd Center registered for MyChart before being discharged from Shepherd Center. You may also call Shepherd Center’s MyChart Support Team at 404-425-7250, or email MyChartSupport@shepherd.org to request a MyChart activation code. After receiving your activation code, you will visit the MyChart website to set up your account and log in.

If you already use MyChart through Piedmont Healthcare, you automatically have access to your Shepherd Center MyChart. You can visit the MyChart website and enter your existing Piedmont log-in credentials.

Additionally, patients can request that staff members add their QR code to print with their COVID vaccine information on the After-Visit Summary (AVS). The QR code DOES NOT automatically print with the AVS; it is an additional document.

You need access to a device that is connected to the internet. For Windows- or MacOS-based computers, we recommend an up-to-date web browser such as Google Chrome. For mobile devices (smartphones and tablets), we recommend that you download the the MyChart mobile app for free from the Apple App Store (iOS devices) or Google Play Store (Android devices).

We are committed to keeping your health information private and secure. We control access to information through secure activation codes, personal IDs and passwords. Each person controls their password, and the account cannot be accessed without that password. Further, MyChart uses the latest 128-bit SSL encryption technology with no caching to automatically encrypt your session with MyChart. Unlike conventional email, all MyChart messaging is done while you are securely logged on to the MyChart website or mobile app.

For your security, activation codes expire after 90 days and are not valid after the first time you use it. If you’re having issues with your activation code, call Shepherd Center’s MyChart Support Team at 404-425-7250.

No, your activation code is neither your MyChart user ID nor your password. You will only use your activation code once to log in to MyChart for the first time. The activation code will expire after you have used it or after 90 days. You will create your unique MyChart ID and password the first time you log in to MyChart.

Shepherd Center is in an Epic Community Connect partnership with Piedmont Healthcare, meaning Shepherd Center is hosted on Piedmont’s Epic platform. That means some of the email communication you receive will include the Piedmont name and branding. To access MyChart from those emails, click on the link at the bottom of the message. Rest assured that your team at Shepherd Center is still your main point of contact for your MyChart account and your care.