Brgeneral Patient Portal (2024)

FAQs

Why do some patients fail to participate in the use of the patient portal? ›

In an age where data breaches are common, some patients are hesitant to put their health information online. They're concerned about who might see their data and how it could be used. So, while patient portals have the potential to revolutionize healthcare, they're facing real challenges.

Patient portals can help you access medical records, set up appointments, communicate with your health care professional, and pay medical bills.

In a meta-analysis, Neves et al¹⁸ found that patient portal use was associated with improved health outcomes for patients, as well as increased safety and quality of care.

This online tool helps you to keep track of your health care provider visits, test results, billing, prescriptions, and so on. You can also message your provider questions through the portal. Many providers now offer patient portals.

Patient portals can inadvertently contribute to alienation between patients and healthcare providers, particularly among populations with limited access to these online tools. Individuals with lower health literacy may be resistant to using patient portals due to the potential for confusion and misunderstanding.

Barriers to Patient Portal Use

Tech literacy, socioeconomic status, and internet infrastructure in the patient's community could impact a patient's ability to access devices and/or a wireless connection.

A member of the care team will “look at the chart and if they can figure it out, then they'll just respond. It is “a relatively small percentage of messages that actually find their way to the doctor,” Dr. Hopkins added.

In multivariable analysis, we found that nonusers were more likely to be male, be on Medicaid, lack a regular provider, and have less than a college education, compared to users. Similar disparities existed in who reported being offered access to a portal, with nonwhites also less likely to report being offered access.

Remember there are many reasons why a healthcare provider will contact you after a medical test. If results are concerning, they may call you or have a receptionist call to schedule an appointment. 15 A healthcare provider may also call to assure you everything is okay or discuss any needed follow-up tests.

Early interventions, improved access to their care team, and increased efficiency of care delivery can ultimately lead to reduced costs and improved quality of care.

What percentage of patients use patient portals? ›

About 3 in 5 individuals nationwide reported they were offered and accessed their online medical record or patient portal in 2022 — this represents a 50 percent increase since 2020. Figure 1: Percent of individuals nationwide who were offered and accessed their online medical record or patient portal, 2014-2022.

Include information about the patient portal on your organization's website. Provide patients with an enrollment link before the initial visit. Encourage team members to mention the patient portal when patients call to schedule appointments. Have a tablet at check-in or in the waiting room where patients can sign up.

Messaging your doctor can be a convenient way to get medical advice. You can send a note through MyChart whenever you have time – day or night – and your provider will typically reply in one to three business days.

To be compliant, HIPAA-complaint portals must ensure that all protected health information (PHI) is secure and accessible only by authorized personnel.

While the most common method of accessing a patient portal was by computer (78 percent), nearly 4 in 10 patient portal users accessed their portal using a smartphone health app in 2020.

Patients may fail to appear for appointments because: they have been pressed for a payment but do not have the funds to pay. they are in denial and are having difficulty facing their illness. they simply forget.

Include information about the patient portal on your organization's website. Provide patients with an enrollment link before the initial visit. Encourage team members to mention the patient portal when patients call to schedule appointments. Have a tablet at check-in or in the waiting room where patients can sign up.