Our website has undergone a major version update. The first version which came out when our clinic started in October 2023 was basic and worked well enough. Over the next few months, it became clear that we required more functionality and one of the most demanded features was compatibility with mobile devices. In June 2024, the second version was rolled out with these features, but there were issues with stability due to problems with some Microsoft software. The biggest issue was that patients had difficulty setting up their accounts due to the cumbersome process we used because of limitations imposed by our clinic software provider.
With this new version, we have tried to work out the bugs present in the older versions, especially around account registration and passwords. While there are many changes under the hood, these should be transparent to users. The main ones which you should know about are:
1) We are abandoning passwords (mostly)
It does not make sense to implement high-end password protection for your website account as most people tend to use a single password for everything, including important stuff like banking. Why put what is important at risk just so you can access your health information? Our preferred method of access is now email verification where every time you want to log-in, an email is sent to you with a verification link. Just click on the email link and it will bring you directly to the website.
You can still use your existing passwords or create new ones if you wish. External verification providers like Google, Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft all provide one-click access without having to compromise your passwords, and this is the safest and easiest way to log in if you have these accounts.
2) We are automatically configuring accounts for all enrolled users
All new patients will have website accounts created for them and their families based on the email that is given to us on enrolment. People with the same email will be grouped under a single account. Existing patients whose accounts have not been set up will also have this done for them in the same manner. An email will be sent to patients when an automatic update is planned, and you have about a week to make changes before we implement them. You can send an email to reception@hillviewmedical.co.nz for any changes which you want.