patient portal utilization

June 27, 2019 - Patient portal access may be tied to more efficient healthcare utilization, with patient use leading to fewer emergency department visits and more outpatient clinic visits, according to new data published in PLOS One. Specifically, patient portals proved to help patients managing chronic conditions more judiciously visit the doctor.

Full Answer

What are the benefits of a patient portal?

Patient portal utilization: before and after stage 2 electronic health record meaningful use Further research is needed to explore which patient portal functionalities are perceived as most beneficial to patients and whether patients have access to those functionalities.

What are the disadvantages of patient portal?

Feb 25, 2021 · Use of patient portals has been associated with positive outcomes in patient engagement and satisfaction. Portal studies have also connected portal use, as well as the nature of users’ interactions with portals, and the contents of their generated data to meaningful cost and quality outcomes.

Why are patient portals important?

Nov 14, 2017 · Patient portals are one approach to electronic personal health information management that has been discussed for its potential to benefit patients and to reduce health care costs. Patient portals enable secure messaging between patients and health care providers and give patients access to their personal health records [11-13].

What is a patient portal?

Use and the Users of a Patient Portal: Cross-Sectional Study Approximately one-third of the patients of a university hospital self-reported using the patient portal; most expressed satisfaction. At first sight, being chronically ill and higher scores on the modified eHealth literacy scale explained portal use.

How many patients actually use patient portals?

FINDINGS. Nearly 40 percent of individuals nationwide accessed a patient portal in 2020 – this represents a 13 percentage point increase since 2014.Sep 21, 2021

What is the use of patient portal?

A patient portal is a secure online website that gives patients convenient, 24-hour access to personal health information from anywhere with an Internet connection. Using a secure username and password, patients can view health information such as: Recent doctor visits. Discharge summaries.Sep 29, 2017

How do you improve patient portal?

Here are some ways to encourage patient enrollment:Include information about the patient portal on your organization's website.Provide patients with an enrollment link before the initial visit to create a new account.Encourage team members to mention the patient portal when patients call to schedule appointments.More items...•Jun 25, 2020

Do patient portals improve healthcare?

Background. Engaging patients in the delivery of health care has the potential to improve health outcomes and patient satisfaction. Patient portals may enhance patient engagement by enabling patients to access their electronic medical records (EMRs) and facilitating secure patient-provider communication.

What are the benefits and challenges of using patient portals?

What are the Top Pros and Cons of Adopting Patient Portals?Pro: Better communication with chronically ill patients.Con: Healthcare data security concerns.Pro: More complete and accurate patient information.Con: Difficult patient buy-in.Pro: Increased patient ownership of their own care.Feb 17, 2016

What should be included in a patient portal?

A robust patient portal should include the following features:Clinical summaries.Secure (HIPAA-compliant) messaging.Online bill pay.New patient registration.Ability to update demographic information.Prescription renewals and contact lens ordering.Appointment requests.Appointment reminders.More items...

How do you optimize patient portals for patient engagement and meet meaningful use requirements?

Meet Meaningful Use Requirements The portal must be engaging and user- friendly, and must support patient-centered outcomes. The portal also must be integrated into clinical encounters so the care team uses it to convey information, communicate with patients, and support self-care and decision-making as indicated.

How can we improve patient registration process?

Here are some steps you can take to assess and improve your workflow.Assess your practice's waiting room. ... Review your existing digital capabilities. ... Reflect on your patient registration workflow. ... Identify hang-ups in the patient registration process. ... Train staff on patient registration best practices.More items...•Jun 9, 2021

What are the disadvantages of patient portals?

Even though they should improve communication, there are also disadvantages to patient portals....Table of ContentsGetting Patients to Opt-In.Security Concerns.User Confusion.Alienation and Health Disparities.Extra Work for the Provider.Conclusion.Nov 11, 2021

What is a reason for providers to be reluctant to use a patient portal?

The researchers found no demographic differences among nonusers who said that a technology hurdle, lack of internet access or no online medical record was the reason why they did not make use of a patient portal.May 14, 2019

What is a patient portal?

“Patient portal tools that improve patient access to their own health information, support self-management, and help patients communicate asynchronously with providers offer an additional mechanism for deliver ing high-quality guideline-recommended care that can improve patient health,” the researchers said.

Is patient portal access more efficient?

June 27, 2019 - Patient portal access may be tied to more efficient healthcare utilization, with patient use leading to fewer emergency department visits and more outpatient clinic visits, according to new data published in PLOS One.

What can a patient use a portal for?

For example, encourage patients to use the portal to make follow-up appointments, stay on top of recommended screenings, or request refills. Some portals even enable clinicians to create task lists for patients that include activities related to taking medications, eating a healthy diet, and staying physically active.

How to add portal enrollment steps to paperwork?

You can also add portal enrollment steps to paperwork, such as after-visit summaries. Make the instructions actionable and easy for patients to understand — choose clear, direct language and use illustrations, bullets, and numbering where possible . Encourage them to take immediate action.

What is AVS in Inova Health?

Working closely with its partners, Inova Health revised the after-visit summary (AVS) to make the benefits of EHRs salient, highlight clear action steps, and encourage immediate action. Analysis suggests that the revised instructions led to a 10% increase in the probability of online patient portal activation.

Why are patients not enrolling in EHR?

Patients report not enrolling because they: Don’t remember discussing it with their clinicians. Lack information or motivation — for example, they don’t have signup instructions or they feel too busy.

How to facilitate enrollment?

To facilitate enrollment, automatically enroll your patients in a portal account, instead of waiting for patients to sign up themselves. Keep enrollment numbers up by encouraging new patients to stay registered and offering tips for patients with limited computer access or skills.

What are some examples of lack of motivation?

Lack information or motivation — for example, they don’t have signup instructions or they feel too busy. Question the value of digital communication — for example, they think it won’t be useful or they prefer phone over email. Need computer help — for example, they don’t have computer access or skills 9.

Can a receptionist suggest a patient use the portal?

Receptionists can suggest patients use the portal to schedule appointments, refill prescriptions, and ask questions. Automated follow-up emails after an appointment — as well as bills and receipts — can include a link and remind people to sign up.

Why do providers use patient portals?

This is mainly because providers are trying to build a relationship with their patients, not just bolster patient loyalty. For many providers, patient portal use is about building trust and enhancing care.

Why are patient portals important?

Research shows that when patients are able to see their own health data, they gain ownership of their own wellness and are better prepared to interact with their providers about their care.

Why do patients have access to doctors notes?

One study conducted at Geisinger Health showed that patients with access to doctors’ notes actually had higher rates of medication adherence because they were more engaged in and informed of their treatment plans.

What are the features of a portal?

Most portals include features such as direct secure messaging, online appointment scheduling, online bill payments, prescription refill requests, and sometimes even data update capabilities. Just as was discussed above, not all portals will enable all features. While most portals include secure messaging features, ...

Is patient portal adoption increasing?

While patient portal benefits may sound enticing, they aren’t entirely effective if patients do not adopt them. As noted above, patient portal adoption is increasing, but there is still room for it to grow. Several industry experts claim that the burden of bolstering patient portal buy-in lay mostly on the provider.