How Can Providers Improve Portal Use?

The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Meaningful Use program is meant to simplify medicine and improve patient care. Through the use of electronic health records and patient portals, health care providers can increase engagement and help with patient education. However, these online services are not receiving as much participation as medical professionals and the CMS would like.

Portal struggles to increase patient engagement
The patient portal serves as the hub for online communication between doctors and patients. However, many health care providers only use it to adhere to MU criteria. According to a survey from Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Analytics, 71 percent of executives from medical organizations have the system in place to meet the minimum requirements of MU. Participants in the company's focus group also reported that portals are convenient, but are not effective at driving patient engagement, as they do not help people manage their conditions.

While the portal feature in EHR software is an easy means of communicating between doctors and their patients, it is not the best way to drive engagement and satisfaction. The CMS had to reduce the Stage 2 requirement of 5 percent of people using the system to just one patient because of the infrequent usage, HIT Consultant contributor James Dias reported. If health care providers want to meet Stage 3's 25-percent rule, they must figure out how to drive patient engagement through the portal

This may be difficult considering 64 percent of Americans do not use the system, according to a 2014 survey from Xerox. Many people were unaware that the portal existed, while others worried about the security of EHR software. However, more than half of those who were not on the system said they would be interested in accessing their medical records.

Doctors need to be open with patients
If health care providers want to drive traffic to patient portals, they must work on improving the perception that is associated with the system. Only through making this change will the medical field be able to meet its MU goals.

Doctors should explain to their patients that digitizing health care does not mean that they will receive any less attention, AuntMinnie.com contributor Morris Panner explained. Some people may worry that they will have less face-to-face time with their primary care physicians, which can cause them to avoid the platform altogether. However, that is not the case. Patient portals are meant to streamline health care and allow doctors to answer nonemergency questions when they have time. Providers should let their patients know that these portals eliminate the need for unnecessary visits and save money while still offering the answers they require.

Health care providers must also assure their patients of the security of the systems. In a time where cyberattacks may be more common than they appear, people want to know that their private information is safe. Panner suggested comparing the safety of patient portals to that of online banking when soothing fears. Many people participate in Internet banking programs, so this analogy will help with comprehension and allow patients to feel safer using the platforms.

According to HIMSS Analytics, 77 percent of health care executives want to improve community health and build brand loyalty for patients. However, if they want to do this, they must determine a plan that will encourage people to use portals. When people want to be active participants in their own health, they must have the tools to do so. With EHR software and portals, people have access to not only their doctors, but to their medical records and resources to help manage their conditions.

Contact Viztek for more information.

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Ronny Bachrach

Marketing Director at Viztek LLC

Responsible for all marketing activities including, press, advertising, trade show coordination, website management, dealer and customer communications.