Hershey Medical Center: MyChart, Doctors & Phone 2026

Patient Task Finder: Choose the Right Hershey Route

Most people searching for Hershey Medical Center need one practical action: portal access, an appointment number, a patient-room contact, parking, records, imaging, a bill, visitor rules or emergency guidance. Use the table before calling or driving.

My Penn State Health Patient Portal: What You Can Do

Penn State Health’s current portal page describes My Health Patient Portal / My Penn State Health as a secure website for managing health information related to Penn State Health visits. It is helpful for non-urgent tasks, but it is not emergency care.

MyChart Transition Note for Penn State Health

Penn State Health’s portal menu references “MyChart by Penn State Health – Coming in October 2026.” Because this page is a patient guide for 2026, the safest instruction is to use the official Penn State Health portal page each time you log in, rather than relying on an old bookmark, a copied link, or a search result that may become outdated.

Appointments, CareLine, Doctors and Pre-Arrival

Use the right phone line before calling the operator. A scheduled imaging test, specialist visit, surgical appointment, children’s hospital visit, cancer appointment and emergency visit can all use different arrival workflows.

Before a Hershey appointment, confirm these

• Exact building, entrance, floor, clinic name and registration desk.
• Whether you should park at Centerview Parking Garage, use valet, use Children’s Hospital directions, go to University Physician Center, 30 Hope Drive or another campus location.
• Whether labs, imaging, fasting, medication holds or paperwork are required before arrival.
• Whether your order, referral, insurance authorization or outside records are already on file.
• Whether you need mobility assistance, interpreter support or a caregiver present.

Emergency Care, Triage and When to Call 911

Hershey Medical Center is a large academic medical center, so emergency care works by triage. The sickest or highest-risk patients are treated first, not simply the people who arrived first. If symptoms are severe, sudden or worsening, choose emergency care.

Medical Records: My Health Portal, Formal Requests and Pickup Help

Medical records are commonly needed after an emergency visit, surgery, imaging test, cancer treatment, hospitalization, disability paperwork, insurance issue, school requirement, legal matter or second opinion. My Penn State Health may show many items, but a formal records request is different.

Imaging, Testing and Useful Department Contacts

Penn State Health lists several direct imaging and testing numbers on the Hershey Medical Center location page. Always confirm order status, insurance authorization, fasting or prep instructions, arrival time and the correct building before your test.

Parking, Valet, Shuttles and Campus Navigation

Penn State Health states that parking is free for Hershey Medical Center patients and visitors. Free parking helps, but the campus is large, so the real challenge is choosing the right garage, entrance and walking/shuttle route.

Campus arrival checklist

• Confirm whether you are going to the main hospital, Children’s Hospital, Cancer Institute, University Physician Center, 30 Hope Drive, outpatient services or another campus building.
• Take a phone photo of your parking area, level, row, elevator, stairwell and entrance.
• Leave extra time for campus roads, garage parking, shuttle transfer, walking, elevators and check-in.
• Ask ahead about wheelchair assistance or the shortest entrance if the patient has mobility limits.
• Do not assume free parking means a short walk.

Visitor Rules, Patient Contact, Surgery Updates and Family Support

Visitor rules can change because of hospital policy, patient condition, unit type, seasonal illness activity or infection-prevention needs. Current Penn State Health pages emphasize checking in, showing photo ID, wearing a visitor badge and calling ahead if you have questions.

Before visiting, ask the unit these questions

• What are today’s visiting hours for this unit?
• How many visitors are allowed at the bedside?
• Can children visit this unit?
• Are masks, PPE, screening or infection-prevention rules required today?
• Can I bring food, flowers, plants, balloons, religious items or personal equipment?
• Will the patient be in testing, surgery, therapy, discharge planning or a procedure during my visit?

Billing, Insurance, Estimates and Financial Help

Hospital billing can involve more than one charge: facility services, physician services, emergency care, anesthesiology, imaging, pathology, lab work, surgery, procedures and follow-up care. Keep statements and insurance explanations together before paying a confusing balance.

Before paying a large Hershey bill, check these

• Is it a hospital facility bill, physician bill, emergency physician bill, anesthesia bill, radiology bill, pathology bill, lab bill or another provider bill?
• Has your insurance fully processed the claim and issued an Explanation of Benefits?
• Does the bill match your name, account number, service date and insurance plan?
• Can you request an itemized explanation before paying?
• Do financial assistance, uninsured discounts, payment arrangements or price-estimate tools apply?
• Do No Surprises Act protections apply to your situation?
• Have you saved phone reference numbers, receipts, emails and payment confirmations?

Amenities, Dining, Wi-Fi, Lost and Found and Campus Help

Large hospital visits are easier when families know the practical details: Wi-Fi, food, gift shop, retail pharmacy, information desks, lost and found, phones and wayfinding help.

Official Hershey Medical Center Links to Use After This Guide

Use this guide to choose the right route, then use official Penn State Health pages for live policies, portal instructions, records, billing, parking, visitor rules and department details.

Hershey Medical Center Map and Directions

Use this map for route planning to 500 University Drive in Hershey. Confirm your exact destination before traveling, especially for Children’s Hospital, Cancer Institute, University Physician Center, imaging, emergency care, records, surgery, outpatient testing or a visitor trip.

Hershey Patient Route Planner

Choose your situation and this browser-side planner creates a practical next-step list. It does not send information anywhere.

Call and Message Scripts for Faster Help

Short, specific messages work better than long stories. Copy and edit the script that matches your need.

Common Hershey Medical Center Mistakes to Avoid

These mistakes create wasted calls, wrong-building visits, delayed records, portal confusion and billing stress.

Related Medical-Centers.org Guides

Use these related guides if you are comparing patient portals, records, billing, ER, parking and visitor workflows across other medical centers.