The patient health portal has become very popular with the majority of hospitals in the U.S. adopting it. A large percentage of web-based EHR solutions also have a patient portal integrated into them. However, both patients and healthcare providers are yet to fully harness the full potential of patient portals. So, we’ll examine what a patient portal is and five key benefits they offer providers and patients.
What Is a Patient Health Portal?
Patient portals are apps or websites linked directly to an EHR that patients can log in to check their health data. The patient data available on each portal depends on the software vendor, but basically patient portals show patients:
- Details of different diagnoses
- Laboratory test results
- Notes written by physicians
- Medical history
- Medications prescribed
- Immunizations
The functionality of many portals also includes a communication link between the patient and the provider. This allows patients to schedule appointments, pay bills, update personal information and request a prescription refill.
What Are the Benefits of a Patient Health Portal?
Knowing the benefits of patient portals helps both providers and patients use them more productively.
1. Boost patient loyalty
When a patient has the opportunity to continue interacting with their provider outside the consulting room, they feel a strong connection to the provider. It also gives the impression that the physician is committed to their health. Loyalty also gets a boost when patients can use their portal to pay bills securely instead of waiting to use a check.
2. Greater patient engagement
A well-designed portal can become an effective medium for generating and viewing patient data. Patients can provide data through their fitness gadgets and also input metrics like blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar level. This data can offer physicians valuable clinical insight while it motivates patients to keep interacting consistently with their providers.
3. Faster bill payment
Virtually all healthcare organizations are better off when they can get bills paid faster. It reduces financial pressure and makes it easier to offset operational costs promptly. That’s why portals that enable patients to pay their bills online are invaluable assets to healthcare providers.
4. Better compliance with prescriptions
Patients who can easily have access to physicians’ notes through their portal usually follow their doctor’s prescriptions better than those who don’t. This is because they’re engaged with the provider from the onset of their treatment plans. Similarly, sending mail to patients to ask them to check their portal can make them more willing to go in for vaccinations than merely calling them on the phone.
5. Effective management of chronic diseases
The secure messaging feature inpatient portals can help providers check in regularly with their patients who have chronic illnesses. They can make sure that effective follow-up measures are in place and the patient keeps all necessary appointments. Providers can easily keep a tab of their patients’ health status and intervene early when needed.
Final Word on Patient Health Portal Benefits
Now that you know the benefits of a patient portal, you need to encourage your patients to use it more often. You should also use it to ensure that you boost your patients’ loyalty and give them better quality care.