But new data suggests a good reason to make portals a regular part of the doctor-patient relationship: When patients use portals, medical groups make more money. A study of portal use in athenahealth's network found that portals deliver clear financial benefits.
What are the advantages of patient portal?
Some of the features available on patient portals may include:
- Direct communication with the doctor via message
- Short video appointments
- Medical history and records
- Prescription ordering
- Appointment setting
- Bill payment (premium and for medical services)
- Educational materials, tailored to the patient
- Lab and diagnostic test results
- Visit summaries and notes from the doctor
- A record of immunizations
Do patient portals improve healthcare?
Patient portal interventions lead to improvements in a wide range of psychobehavioral outcomes, such as health knowledge, self-efficacy, decision making, medication adherence, and preventive service use. Effects of patient portal interventions on clinical outcomes including blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, and weight loss were mixed.
What are the benefits of using a portal?
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Do you have a patient portal?
Yes we have a patient portal. You can schedule appointments, access lab results, request refills, view medical records, and send messages directly to your provider. You can learn more here. Jen Wright is the Administrative Director of the Community COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Team.
Do patient portals save money?
Experts say patient portals can offer financial benefits that improve collections, reduce staff workload and better engage patients. Solutions like the CareCloud patient portal are saving practice managers big bucks.
What are the benefits of a patient portal?
The truth is, there are a lot of benefits to using a patient portal for providers.Better Patient Communication. ... Streamline Patient Registration and Administrative Tasks. ... Greater Focus on Patient Care. ... Better Patient-Physician Relationships. ... Improve Clinical Outcomes. ... Optimize Medical Office Workflow.
What are the cons 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.
What are the features of a patient portal?
Key Features of Patient PortalsEncrypted and password-protected login to a personal profile.Health history, diagnoses, allergies, and chronic conditions view.Lab test results, discharge summaries view and download.Treatment, procedures, and medication plan view.More items...
Why do patients not use patient portals?
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.
What are the five main features of the new healthcare portal?
Five key features to look for in an EHR patient portalEasy to follow user interface. ... Messaging and communication. ... Registration. ... Scheduling. ... Enhanced security.
What is the most common barrier to the use of the patient portal?
Conclusions: The most common barriers to patient portal adoption are preference for in-person communication, not having a need for the patient portal, and feeling uncomfortable with computers, which are barriers that are modifiable and can be intervened upon.
Can patient portals be hacked?
Unfortunately, what makes your patient portal valuable for patients is exactly what makes it attractive to cybercriminals. It's a one-stop shop for entire health records, and identity thieves can make a fast buck from stealing this data and selling it on.
Are patient portals 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.
What are the different types of patient portals?
There are two main types of patient portals: a standalone system and an integrated service. Integrated patient portal software functionality usually comes as a part of an EMR system, an EHR system or practice management software. But at their most basic, they're simply web-based tools.
Do patient portals improve outcomes?
Patient portal interventions lead to improvements in a wide range of psychobehavioral outcomes, such as health knowledge, self-efficacy, decision making, medication adherence, and preventive service use.
Who controls the patient portal?
Electronic patient portals comprise provider-tethered applications that allow patients to electronically access health information that is documented and managed by a health care institution [15]. Patient portals are owned and administered by health care institutions (such as hospitals).
What impact do health care portals have on patients and patient care?
For example, electronic patient portals may improve communication between provider and patient, or increase a patient's adherence to medication treatment. Both could contribute to better patient care.
What information can be accessed through a patient portal?
The features of patient portals may vary, but typically you can securely view and print portions of your medical record, including recent doctor visits, discharge summaries, medications, immunizations, allergies, and most lab results anytime and from anywhere you have Web access.
How would you encourage patients to use patient portal?
9 Effective Ways to Encourage Patients to Use Patient PortalsFill out forms.Pay bills online.View lab results.Review doctor's notes.Schedule appointments.Receive billing statements.Request prescription refills.Check benefits and coverage.More items...
Why should patients have access to their medical records?
The studies revealed that patients' access to medical records can be beneficial for both patients and doctors, since it enhances communication between them whilst helping patients to better understand their health condition. The drawbacks (for instance causing confusion and anxiety to patients) seem to be minimal.
When did PHMG start patient portal?
PHMG launched the patient portal in early 2010. As a first step, the physician champion piloted the portal for about 6 months before it was implemented in one clinic at a time. According to the physician champion, implementation was “easier than expected because everyone was already comfortable with eClinicalWorks, ...
Why is it persuasive to use a portal?
They found that it is particularly persuasive when providers encourage patients to use the portal because patients trust providers and value their opinions. One provider says he reinforces a patient’s use of the portal by closing all messages with “Thanks for using the portal.”.
Why is PHMG monitoring?
Messaging is monitored periodically to ensure that communication with patients is succinct and user-friendly.
How many clinics does PHMG have?
PHMG is an independent medical group with 11 clinics in southwest Idaho, provides both appointment‐based and urgent care. PHMG has 46 health care providers (including 12 mid‐level providers) and averages 200,000 patient visits per year. About half of PHMG’s patients are appointment‐based and half are urgent care. The practice specializes in:
What are the challenges of the portal?
One major challenge with the portal is the multiple step registration process . Patients provide their e‐mail address at the front desk and are given a password to register from home. Some patients fail to complete the registration process after leaving the clinic. Remembering and managing passwords and managing family accounts are also challenging for patients. For example, a parent may log in for one child and then ask questions about a second child. For providers and staff, a challenge is that there is no way to know whether a Web‐enabled patient actually uses the portal and there are no read receipts to confirm that patients have read a message.
Why is Qualis important?
Qualis has also been an important resource for information about the meaningful use rules. "We felt strongly that from a quality standpoint we could not succeed without going to electronic health records. I felt very strongly we had to invest in it because it would positively affect every patient that we encounter.".
When did PHMG implement EHR?
In 2007 PHMG implemented an EHR system, eClinicalWorks, as part of a strategy to improve quality of care and facilitate coordination of care across its multiple clinic locations. In preparing for implementation, PHMG proceeded with:
How long does it take for a patient to return to the hospital after a portal account?
The study found that after an initial visit to a primary care practice, 80 percent of patients with portal accounts returned for a second visit within 18 months. In comparison, patients without portal accounts returned only 67 percent of the time.
Why is portal technology important?
So under value-based reimbursement, portal technology is beginning to look essential — for doctors to communicate with patients between office visits and for patients to track and understand their health data over time.
How does a digital mediator help a medical office?
Freeing the front office. If patients handle appointment requests, prescription refills, and health record requests online, a medical office's administrative call volume can quickly shrink. And when it comes to sensitive topics such as payments, a digital mediator can help: Some practices have found that secure messaging is more effective than phone calls for receiving and responding to billing questions.
What is the key to restraining costs and improving outcomes during the transition?
One key to restraining costs and improving outcomes during the transition? Patient engagement, which requires an active relationship between patient and provider, and patients' proactive management of their own health.
Why do providers like secure messages?
Controlling communications. Providers like being able to respond to secure messages when it's convenient — rather than immediately, when a patient happens to call. Another advantage: the ability to view a patient's questions and his medical record on the same screen.
Why do doctors send electronic bills?
One likely reason is convenience. Patients in these practices could receive electronic statements and, in most cases, pay their bills online.
Do patient portals have to be undersold?
While patient portals have been around for years, they're often treated as afterthoughts — mandated by "meaningful use" regulations, but undersold to patients.
Why do we need patient portals?
5. They improve data accuracy. Because patients have access to their medical records, it is easy for them to spot inaccurate information and bring it to their provider’s attention. 6.
What is the function of a patient portal?
The basic function of a patient portal is to engage patients in their own care, educating them on not only their personal health but also assisting them to take control of their treatment options.
What is HIPAA privacy?
HIPAA privacy rules offer protections that grow with children. Parents have full access to their child’s account up to a certain age, at which point teens take control of their own health, often through a portal that makes this automatic.
What happens when a patient creates a secure login?
Once a patient creates a secure login, they have access to many of the things they need to manage their healthcare.
Are patient portals safe?
Of patient portal benefits and challenges, however, probably the biggest concern is the security of a patient’s sensitive medical data. Your office cannot simply set up a free website and expect patients to allow their medical data to be posted there!
What percent of Summit Medical Group payments are online?
Summit Medical Group, a 500-physician group in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, receives 30 percent of its patient payments via online portals, according to the report. Middleton, for his part, says about 7 percent of payments come through the portal.
Why is secure email important for physicians?
Use of secure email allowed physicians respond to patients at their convenience and view "inquiries in the context of the full patient record, which they may not have at hand when patients call," according to the report. "All of these can improve provider productivity, which, in turn, can improve practice finances.".
Overview
Patient portals improve the way in which patients and health care providers interact. A product of meaningful use requirements, they were mandated as a way to provide patients with timely access to their health care. Specifically, patient portals give patients access to their health information to take a more active role.
Primary Benefits
No matter the type of platform you choose, your patient portal can provide your patients with secure online access to their medical details and increase their engagement with your practice. And not to mention that it does so while providing several benefits for health care providers as well. Some of these benefits include:
Notable Challenges
While many people have used a patient portal by now, they have mixed reviews at best. As you can see in the section above, there are plenty of benefits that patient portals provide. But unfortunately, their potential has yet to be fully harnessed.
Emerging Trends
If patient portals are a mixed bag, why should the patient portal receive greater consideration in the EHR, EMR and practice management selection processes? Because when you look at current industry trends, patient portals are well on their way to improving. Some of these trends include:
How to Use a Patient Portal
With patient portals, the first and foremost thing you will need is a computer and a working internet connection. Create a customized user’s account in the software to avail medical services on your own. Once you enter the patient portal, click on links and products sold by the provider and tap into a new experience.
Solution Evaluation
Now that you know what a patient portal is and given the potential and growing importance, how should you evaluate the best portal for your practice or facility? You can select a standalone patient portal that a third-party vendor commonly hosts through the cloud as a health care provider.
Final Thoughts
It’s clear that using a patient portal software can provide several benefits for your medical practice. After accounting for these nine considerations, you should be ready to start using a patient portal. The only decision left to make is which platform you’ll use.
Why is educational content important for patients?
Educational content hosted on patient portals can make it easier for patients to take a more active role in their care. They can have access to relevant information about their conditions, medications, all in one place on the Internet. Patients no longer have to sift through a stack of pamphlets just to get the information they need.
Why is patient engagement important?
Engaged patients have better health outcomes, are more satisfied with their care, and are more likely to return to the organization in the future. Educational content hosted on patient portals can make it easier for patients to take a more active role ...
How did the Internet impact healthcare?
Now, patients can take a much more active role in their care by having nearly instant access to their own medical records. In the past, a patient had to get medical records by showing up to the doctor’s office and asking them for a copy. Now, most of the information is digitized.
Can patient portals make appointment reminders?
Time is also spent on reminding people of appointments. Patient portals can make appointment reminders automated, when integrated with your CRM that keeps track of all of these automations, which leads into the next benefit.
Can a patient portal be integrated with a CRM?
If a patient portal has appointment scheduling and is integrated with your CRM, the patient’s appointment is scheduled and a tag is applied in the CRM making it known that the patient has scheduled an appointment. This is powerful, and nobody on staff needed to do anything to make it work!
How to get your test results?
Get your test results. Review your discharge instructions. Update your personal information, such as your emergency contact. Download the How to Guide and FAQ documentation. Go to Hospital Stay Portal Hospital Stay Portal (Text Version) If you need assistance, call the Patient Portal Help Desk at (406) 455-5630, or complete a contact form.
Does Benefis have portals?
Your time is valuable, so we help make taking care of your health a little easier. Benefis offers two easy-to-use patient portals for office visits and hospital stays. Our portals allow you to access your health record anytime, from your computer or smartphone.
Collecting Payments, Faster
Building Patient Loyalty
- Portals could also play a role in retaining patients over time. The study found that after an initial visit to a primary care practice, 80 percent of patients with portal accounts returned for a second visit within 18 months. In comparison, patients without portal accounts returned only 67 percent of the time. And portal adopters are more likely to have ongoing relationships with their provider…
Unburdening The Staff
- It's often assumed that digital mandates create extra work. But practices with portal adoption rates above 60 percent report that portals can actually reduce workloads for providers and staff. Here's how: 1. Saving time. A portal's secure messaging system can capture many patient questions that were formerly handled by phone. At one high-adopting p...
Improving Health Outcomes
- Risk-based reimbursement is coming. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced that an estimated 30 percent of Medicare payments will now be tied to alternative payment models that reward quality of care over quantity of services. The government aims to link 50 percent of payments to value-based care modelsby the end of 2018. One key to restrainin…