So I thought it would be cool to be able to log in to the Alberta government’s “MyHealth” site to get access to various health records. I mean, it sounds useful to be able to see that stuff, right? Well, it might be. If it worked.
Well, I went through the steps to authenticate which involved waiting for a code in the mail and a few other things. That part worked well enough and logging took me to some sort of dashboard with a great big widget to click on to access my health records. So I clicked on it.
I watched my browser step through loading a number of things which isn’t particularly unusual for single sign on type things like a government account thing. And then it landed on a page that proudly proclaimed “OOPS! There is a problem” and noted that I was signed out. It then suggested I should be using Firefox or Chrome or Edge or Safari. Well, I was using Firefox. Okay then. So I tried Chrome. Same thing. So I tried Edge. Same thing. I can’t try Safari since I’m not on a Mac.
The text says “MyHealth Records does not work with your current borwser or operating system.” Okay. So I’ve ruled out the browser being the issue. That leaves operating system. (I’m not using Windows either.) Okay, pop quiz: what the fuck does my operating system have to do with a web site? If you answered anything other than “nothing”, you’re part of the problem.
So. The Alberta government has created a site that’s meant to make accessing health records easy. And they’ve fucked it up to the point that unless you’re using Windows or Mac (as far as I can tell), it doesn’t work.
If you’re reading this and you’re responsible for a major web site, go check your site on an operating system other than Windows or Mac. If it doesn’t work on, say, a modern version of Linux like Ubuntu or Mint, rip your web developers a new one. There’s no excuse for that. Period. And, no. You do not ever need anything that is operating system dependent on your web site. Ever. Especially if your organization is part of a government agency.
I’ve tried changing my User Agent to a Windows one and it still doesn’t work. Bottom of the barrel developers working for this sham of a government.
yup, absolutely 100% complete and total garbage site. we’re trying to access my mom’s health records (she’s developing a mental illness where she simply can not remember anything, and this is all new to me so idk anything about it, who diagnosed it, etc) so i created an account for myself and was getting stuck on the verification part, I’d give my Alberta ID number, then they’d text me a code to my phone and THAT CODE wouldn’t work! after 2 days of this, i randomly tried again and it finally ‘Verified’ my account… so my account is now verified but i still can’t access my own fucking health records, it tells me to ‘verify my account’ then when i click ‘verify’ its already verified! what kinda sorry dumb fuck developed this pos trash site?! unreal