Growing patient volumes, razor-thin margins, and soaring costs make providing care difficult for today’s providers. Luckily, digital transformation in healthcare is reshaping how providers communicate with patients, and patient portals are taking center stage in this evolution.
If you’re a healthcare provider wondering whether implementing a patient portal is worth it, the answer is an easy yes.
From better patient engagement to lower administrative loads, patient portals have many benefits that improve your practice. Using this tool can be as simple as sending an email.
However, the true power of a patient portal comes from the way it can transform your practice and, more importantly, how it can help enhance patient outcomes.
RELATED ARTICLE: How to Amplify Patient Engagement with Healthcare Portals
What Is a Patient Portal?
Adoption and use of patient portals have surged in the US in the past 5 years, making them a popular tool for convenient healthcare access.
This secure online system allows patients to access their healthcare information and interact with their providers. These portals typically offer functionalities like:
- Viewing medical records
- Managing appointments
- Messaging providers
- Accessing test results
But they can do more than that. Some advanced systems include bill payment options, prescription refill requests, and other resources.
Patient portals are designed to streamline a lot of processes for providers. However, a HIPAA-compliant patient portal is a way for the modern medical office to have a solution that protects sensitive patient health information but still allows convenience for the patient.
The Importance of Patient Portals
In the popular MedPage Today’s KevinMD.com platform, a physician shares his thoughts on how providers can regain patient trust. He cites,
“This [building trust] can include making patients’ medical records easily accessible and involving them in decision-making processes. An example would be utilizing patient portals where individuals can view test results, track treatment progress, and communicate directly with their physicians, emphasizing the importance of continuous, open communication.”
This statement shows how patient portals do more than help with convenience; they also provide transparency, which patients need now more than ever.
Another patient portal benefit? The demand for faster, efficient, personalized, and digitally accessible healthcare is growing. A portal plays a crucial role in meeting these expectations. For example, next-gen portals allow patients to:
- Enter remote patient monitoring data (e.g., home blood pressure values)
- Fill out intake questionnaires and health surveys that can be pulled directly into the chart and visit notes
And with an emphasis on value-based care and improved patient engagement, offering a mobile-friendly, user-friendly patient portal is no longer optional; it’s essential. So, while portals facilitate better patient-provider communication, they also enable practices to remain competitive in an increasingly tech-savvy world.
FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: How to Improve the Patient Experience Using a Patient Portal
Top 7 Benefits of Using a Patient Portal
1. Improved Patient Engagement and Health Outcomes
Patient portals encourage patients to become more engaged and participate in their health. By giving them easy access to lab reports, personalized health plans, and educational materials, you empower them to make informed decisions about their care.
In terms of the effect patient portals have on health outcomes, according to one literature review, “patient portals have the potential to enhance the doctor-patient relationship, improve health status awareness, and increase adherence to therapy.”
Another study associated patient portal use with increased knowledge and reduced disease-related stress among patients.
2. Secure Access to Medical Records
One of the most significant advantages of patient portals is granting patients secure and convenient access to their medical history. The Cures Act Final Rule was published in 2020 to increase patient and provider access to health-related data, specifically through health IT developer adoption of secure standardized application programming interfaces (APIs).
With these new secure regulations in place, patients no longer need to contact your office to obtain this information. This can save time and effort for both patients and providers.
3. Appointment Scheduling Made Easier
It takes a lot of time to schedule appointments manually, and this process can sometimes lead to errors or no-shows. Patient portals make this approach more straightforward with options to book appointments online. Patients can elect to book appointments at times that suit them.
Updox, a communications platform that can integrate with electronic health records (EHRs), offers a HIPAA-compliant Patient Portal that allows patients secure access to health information, appointments, and communication tools.
For example, in the pre-visit portion of the patient journey, the portal:
- Gives patients self-scheduling options
- Allows providers to communicate with patients easily
- Automates administrative tasks
4. Enhanced Patient-Provider Communication
Portals allow patients to message their providers directly, improving communication and reducing the need for phone calls. Quick responses to patient queries lead to higher satisfaction levels and better health outcomes.
The Annals of Internal Medicine reveals the benefits of this digital channel, including:
- Facilitating real-time access to clinical information.
- Allowing for proactive communication from care teams.
- Enabling patients to address questions and concerns to their physician’s office directly.
5. Reducing Administrative Workload
With tasks like scheduling, test results, and prescription refill requests handled digitally, your staff can focus on other pressing priorities. Patient portals significantly reduce administrative workload, leading to a more productive practice.
6. Better Compliance and Security
In 2024, 588 healthcare patient data breaches were reported to the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR), affecting approximately 180 million people. A HIPAA-compliant patient portal reduces these vulnerabilities and ensures data security.
It also aids your practice in meeting regulatory requirements. This minimizes the risk of potential violations and enhances overall data governance.
7. Convenience for Patients
Today’s patients want convenience. A McKinsey report revealed that the widespread adoption of digital technologies—such as telehealth and online scheduling (patient portals)—has reshaped consumer expectations and they now demand seamless and convenient healthcare experiences.
A mobile-friendly portal provides this convenience and lets patients access healthcare information anytime, anywhere. Even more, these apps offer time-saving features that appeal to patients often on the go. This easy access reduces no-shows and enhances patient loyalty and satisfaction with your practice.
RELATED ARTICLE: 4 Digital Patient Engagement Tools Every Practice Needs
How You Can Start Reaping Patient Portal Benefits Right Now
Implementing a patient portal isn’t just about investing in technology. It’s about aligning your staff and patients with the system to ensure maximum efficiency. Here are practical tips to get you started:
Choose the Right Patient Portal
First, establish your practice needs and how patient portals can meet those requirements. Next, opt for a portal with key functionalities like HIPAA compliance, appointment scheduling, and mobile accessibility.
Research vendors, read reviews, join practice forums, listen to health IT podcasts, and compare features before deciding.
Train Your Staff, Promote Your Portal
Provide thorough training for your administrative and medical staff so they can use and promote the portal. Encourage staff members to mention the portal when patients call to schedule appointments or have them place a tablet at check-in where patients can sign up.
Next, try actively promoting your portal to patients. Use emails, posters in your waiting area, and even QR codes to show how simple and beneficial it is to use the portal.
Set Expectations with Patients
You can also set guidelines for portal use with patients. It’s important to establish that portal communication should not replace a physician visit. The American Medical Association (AMA) offers these tips:
- Communicate the expected response time to patient messages.
- Set character limits for portal messages (200 to 500 characters).
- Restrict the ability to send messages unless patients have seen the physician within a specific timeframe (the past 1 to 2 years) or have scheduled an upcoming visit.
Offer Support for First-Time Users
Some patients (especially older populations) can feel intimidated by new technology, so be proactive in offering support. Have your staff walk patients through portal registration and demonstrate how to use essential features.
Providers can also include information about the portal on their organization’s website or supply patients with an enrollment link before the initial visit.
Monitor Usage and Round Up Feedback
Track how patients and staff are using the portal and identify any roadblocks. Use this feedback to improve the portal’s functionality and ensure a seamless experience.
Patient portals represent the future of healthcare, offering vast opportunities to enhance care and practice efficiency. By adopting a patient portal, healthcare providers can deliver higher-quality care, improve patient communication, and optimize administrative workflows.
Ready to experience the benefits of a patient portal firsthand?
Contact Updox today to learn how our Patient Portal platform can help your practice run more efficiently and improve the patient experience.
