Technology has revolutionized health care delivery and continues to positively impact patient care. From wearable devices to telehealth and patient portals, technology solutions have changed how you care and engage patients.
Just by offering a patient portal- patients can have easier access to their medical records, pay bills, schedule appointments and communicate with their providers.
In this article, we’ll review how you can leverage portals to drive meaningful improvements in patient communication and satisfaction.
We’ll list the benefits of using portals to achieve your patient engagement goals. Then, we’ll give you practical strategies to increase engagement. We’ll finish up our guide with a few quick tips you can use to get started.
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What Is a Healthcare Portal?
According to the American Medical Association (AMA):
“Private practices deal with administrative issues regularly, ranging from staffing to scheduling, supply management, revenue-cycle concerns, and prior authorization.”
Perhaps you can relate. You’re balancing appointments and filling out paperwork. You’re trying to keep on top of scheduling changes and patient questions.
It’s a lot, and at the end of the day, something’s got to give—or maybe it doesn’t. With a healthcare portal, you empower patients to take charge of their healthcare journey themselves.
A healthcare portal is a secure online platform. Your patients can log on and interact with your practice. The goal? To remove some of the administrative burden weighing you down.
What kinds of things does a healthcare portal do? Here are some of the key features:
- Appointment scheduling
- Medical record access
- Direct communication tools
- Telehealth integrations
- Billing and payment process
- Prescription management
- Educational resource library
Generally, a portal connects to your electronic health record (EHR) system. It pulls relevant data from the EHR and presents it to the patient in a user-friendly format.
The information is always up-to-date and accurate. Let’s say a patient schedules an appointment. The portal automatically updates your calendar. Or if a patient views their lab results, the portal pulls the most recent data from the EHR and displays it.
In addition, communication through the portal is encrypted. You maintain your compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
The Importance of Patient Engagement
You do what you do to make a difference in people’s lives. It’s incredibly rewarding, and you want nothing but the best possible outcomes for your patients. Patient engagement is at the heart of achieving this mission.
Engaged patients are those who take an active role in their healthcare. They understand their conditions, follow treatment plans, and communicate openly with their providers.
Yes, it’s about showing up to all appointments. But even more than that, it’s about being an informed participant.
If you can help your patients achieve this level of connection, interest, and drive, the results are astounding:
- Engaged patients have better health literacy. They understand their conditions and the treatments they’re receiving. They have the information they need to make informed decisions. A growing body of evidence supports this finding.
People with higher patient activation—meaning they have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to be actively involved in their care—consistently experience better health outcomes. - Engaged patients are more likely to follow treatment plans. This means better health outcomes. Research has shown that engaged patients have lower readmission rates and fewer emergency visits.
- Patient engagement is linked to higher satisfaction levels. Patients who feel involved in their care are more satisfied with their healthcare experience. This satisfaction is not just about feeling good; it directly impacts your practice. Research indicates that strong patient engagement strategies often result in higher patient satisfaction scores.
- Patient engagement also has a direct impact on profit. A survey revealed that 83% of ambulatory healthcare providers believe that patient engagement solutions are critical to both their financial success and patient outcomes. That’s one reason why the global market for patient engagement solutions is expected to grow.
RELATED ARTICLE: 4 Digital Patient Engagement Tools Every Practice Needs
Benefits of Using Healthcare Portals for Patient Engagement
If you’re on the fence about bringing a healthcare portal into your practice, consider these benefits:
Easier Access to Information
Healthcare portals provide patients with easy access to their medical information. They can look at test results, see their diagnoses, and revisit their treatment plans.
With access to more information, they can stay informed. They can learn about their condition and conduct their own research. They might come up with questions or run into concerns—both of which can be addressed by their provider.
They gain a more practical or grounded appreciation for their treatment and the importance of adherence.
A self-service approach might also reduce anxiety. Patients can better prepare for upcoming appointments or tests.
Expect these outcomes:
- Fewer inbound calls and requests for records
- Staff have more time to focus on meaningful work
- Improved efficiency that leads to cost savings and superior patient care
Improved Communication
Healthcare portals act like secure messaging platforms.
Patients can ask questions, and providers can respond. Providers can check in, and patients can offer real-time updates about their condition and treatment progress. This builds and strengthens the patient-provider relationship.
It also prevents misunderstandings, which can be dangerous. Say a patient can’t quite recall how they’re supposed to take a medication.
Instead of turning to Google or just guessing, they can send a quick message to their provider. Their provider responds, and they have the clarification needed to proceed safely.
Expect these outcomes:
- Higher levels of patient adherence to treatments and instructions
- Better health outcomes and higher patient satisfaction
- Improved patient retention and referrals
Streamlined Administrative Processes
Automation isn’t just for big businesses or factory lines. It can be a game-changer for your practice too.
Healthcare portals automate and simplify administrative tasks—think appointment scheduling and reminders, payments, and prescription refill requests.
This convenience encourages patients to be proactive in managing their health. It also saves them a lot of time. They might be able to achieve something in five minutes online instead of scheduling an entire appointment and taking a day off work.
Healthcare becomes more accessible and less stressful.
Expect these outcomes:
- Reduced workload for office staff
- Fewer errors thanks to less human intervention
- More growth, as staff can spend more time on mission-critical tasks
Increased Patient Education
You’ve heard it before: knowledge is power.
Portals often include educational resources personalized to individual patients. These resources might be articles, videos, or studies.
They can turn to these to learn more about their condition and treatment. From there, they can make more informed decisions about their next steps. They feel confident in their healthcare journey, not overwhelmed by jargon or left in the dark.
Expect these outcomes:
- Higher levels of compliance with treatment plans
- Better health outcomes
- Enhanced practice reputation as a provider of effective, high-quality, patient-centered care
- RELATED ARTICLE: Do You Know How to Increase Patient Satisfaction?
How to Increase Patient Engagement with Patient Portals
Patient portals and patient engagement work hand-in-hand with the three strategies below.
Personalize Communication
Your patients appreciate personalization. Make sure all messages and reminders sent through the portal are relevant to them and their condition.
For example, you might include their name and reference recent visits. You might send them updated information specific to their treatment plan.
Your patients feel valued and seen. This encourages engagement.
Ready to take action? Set up automated, personalized reminders for appointments and medication refills.
Integrate Telehealth Services
Telehealth is the future. According to the Harvard Business Review:
“When used appropriately, [telehealth] improves patient health and reduces costs. It also makes care more equitable and accessible to the 89% of U.S. adults and 78% of adults globally who own a smartphone.”
In light of this, consider offering telehealth services through the patient portal.
Patients might then seek care more regularly. They might be more inclined to attend follow-ups. They might be more likely to book an appointment for a minor issue or their chronic condition.
Ready to take action? Research portals and choose one that has a telehealth scheduling option. Promote this feature to patients, highlighting the benefits.
Adopt Health Tracking Tools
Include tools for tracking health metrics, like blood pressure or weight.
Patients who monitor their progress are driven by positive changes. These results motivate them to keep going with their treatment.
Ready to take action? Add tracking features to your portal. Put together simple guides and set up notifications to remind patients to log their data.
FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: How to Improve the Patient Experience Using a Patient Portal
How You Can Start Amplifying Patient Engagement with Healthcare Portals Right Now
Boost patient engagement in your practice, starting with these four steps:
- Assess your practice’s needs. Identify what your practice requires in a patient portal. Consider factors like telehealth integration, secure messaging, and billing features.
- List your top priority features. Decide which features are most important for your practice and your patients.
- Evaluate patient portal options. Compare and contrast different patient portals. Updox integrates with your existing systems and offers an ecosystem of solutions to increase patient engagement.
- Don’t forget about training. Once you’ve chosen a portal, train your staff and educate your patients on how to use it. Provide clear instructions and ongoing support.
