why not to use a patient portal

by Dr. Emilia Leannon 8 min read

Who Isn’t Using Patient Portals And Why? Evidence And ...

11 hours ago 25 rows · Exhibit 2 Odds ratios for not having been offered access to an online patient portal, not ... >> Go To The Portal


Here are the top five reasons why patients skip using the patient portal:

  • Prefer to speak directly with physician—70%.
  • No need to use the portal—57%.
  • No online medical record—32%.
  • No internet access—25%.
  • Privacy concerns—22%.

Other disadvantages of patient portals include alienation and health disparities. Alienation between patient and provider occurs for those who don't access these tools. Sometimes, this is due to health disparities if a person doesn't have a method for using them.Nov 11, 2021

Full Answer

Why aren’t more patients using online portals?

25 rows · Exhibit 2 Odds ratios for not having been offered access to an online patient portal, not ...

What is a portal and why do you need one?

May 14, 2019 · Here are the top five reasons why patients skip using the patient portal: Prefer to speak directly with physician—70%. No need to use the portal—57%. No online medical record—32%. No internet access—25%. Privacy concerns—22%.

What are the barriers to the use of patient portals?

The reason why most patients do not want to use their patient portal is because they see no value in it, they are just not interested. The portals do not properly incentivize the patient either intellectually (providing enough data to prove useful) or financially.

Why don’t more older patients use their health portal?

Here are some reasons that you should use the patient portal: Better communication with chronically ill patients; More complete and accurate patient information; Increased patient ownership of their own care; Here are few reasons not to use the patient portal: Healthcare data security concerns; Difficult patient buy-in

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

The reason why most patients do not want to use their patient portal is because they see no value in it, they are just not interested. The portals do not properly incentivize the patient either intellectually (providing enough data to prove useful) or financially.

Is patient portal safe?

Patient portals have privacy and security safeguards in place to protect your health information. To make sure that your private health information is safe from unauthorized access, patient portals are hosted on a secure connection and accessed via an encrypted, password-protected logon.

Are patient portals effective?

Results of patient engagement were mixed: portals in some studies did not cause statistically significant improvement, but patients in other studies reported that portals enabled better engagement in their care.

Do patients like patient portals?

Eight studies reported that patients or their caregivers want more portal education, training, or support. Two studies found that their participants want human connection as they learn about the portal and how to use it, as well as when they encounter issues.Jan 25, 2021

What are the disadvantages of a patient portal?

The most frequently reported downside to patient portals is the difficulty providers often face in generating patient buy-in. Although providers are generally aware of the health perks of using a patient portal, patients are seldom as excited about the portal as they are.Feb 17, 2016

What are the disadvantages of accessing your health care online?

Con: Online Health Research Can Lead to Unnecessary Anxiety Your increased anxiety might worsen your pain and other symptoms. It's easy to assume the worst when you check your symptoms online, but don't panic if your symptoms align with a serious condition. Instead, seek appropriate medical care.Dec 5, 2017

What is the purpose of patient portals?

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.Sep 29, 2017

How do patients feel about patient portals?

Patients experienced: They appreciate the direct communication with providers. They appreciate the ability to ask questions in-between visits and convenience of requesting medication and referrals online.Sep 19, 2017

How do patient portals affect nursing?

Takeaways: Patient portals facilitate patient engagement in healthcare decisions, improve communication, and streamline care. Less than one-third of patients access patient portals to view their medical data. Nurses can improve patient portal use by explaining the benefits and providing education.Dec 20, 2021

What percentage of patients 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 are the top pros and cons of adopting patient portals?

The Pros And Cons Of Using Patient Portals For HealthcarePro 1: 24-Hour Connection With Providers.Con 1: Lack of Use.Pro 2: Streamlines Workflow.Con 2: Patient Portals are Targets for Hackers.Pro 3: Ownership of Medical Data.Con 3: Patients May Become Confused Through Greater Access to Records.

What percentage of hospitals use patient portals?

The ONC surveyed 3,865 Americans about their use of patient portals from January 2020 through April 2020. Below are five key findings: Fifty-nine percent of Americans were offered a patient portal in 2020, up from 42 percent in 2014.Sep 28, 2021

Why are portals important?

As yet, Irizarry said, there’s little concrete evidence that patient portal use leads to better outcomes. “Just because an organization has a portal does not guarantee patient engagement.

Why did portals get a kickoff?

According to Taya Irizarry, a strategy consultant at Highmark Health who has conducted research on portals, “the only reason that patient portals got a kickoff in the beginning was because they were part of HITECH’s meaningful use criteria.”. Portals were seen as a way to support patient engagement, which theoretically might lead ...

Why are portals so complicated?

A big issue for many users is that portals are simply too complicated for at least two opposite kinds of users: those who have low computer literacy, and those who are so computer savvy that they expect the simplicity of an Uber or Instagram app to get a test result or appointment with a click or two.

Is the portal concept slow?

Acceptance of the portal concept continues to be slow, especially within physicians’ offices and small to middle size hospitals. Though these providers implemented portals via their Meaningful Use / MIPS incentives, portals are often not treated as a central communications tool. Patient engagement? Yes…a laudable objective for policymakers — but many physicians already lament the deep cuts in their daily patient schedule that have been created by complex EHR-related obligations. The added work of portal interaction has been the opposite of a pot-sweetener, despite touted financial benefits.

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The Patient Perspective

The Problem with Portals

  • People may not actually be that technologically illiterate. The problem may lie with portals themselves. “They’re big, they’re heavy, they’re full of a bunch of medical jargon, they’re hard to use,” Irizarry said, explaining that patients are often overwhelmed by the sheer amount of medical information available in a traditional portal. According t...
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So What Can Healthcare Organizations—And Everyone Else—Do?

  • First of all, Anthony said, doctors have to address patient concerns head-on. Providers can assure their patients that portals have excellent security and privacy measures in place, and make clear that “this is not going to impede their relationship with their provider; it’s expected to enhance that.” Brochures and other educational materials need to tell not just how to use a portal—in ste…
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Increasing The Value

  • But portals themselves need some work. “The original idea was, ‘the more information, the better,’” Irizarry said. “There’s a long sidebar, with ten different links to things. So you click on laboratory results, and it’s every lab result you’ve ever had. There are test results, with numbers that you may or may not understand.” Patients still want that information, said Pamela Kallmerten, a clinical a…
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