4 Reasons Patients and Physicians Love Using Patient Portals

Patient portals revolutionized healthcare by increasing patient engagement and improving the patient experience. With the technological demands of today’s world, this tool takes a huge portion of patient interactions into a digital format. While this tool has existed in one form or another for several years, new developments in this technology are helping providers. Improving office workflow efficiency, the patient-provider relationship, and more, a quality patient portal can truly make a difference. Patients expect their providers to offer a quality solution in 2023 as it makes it easier for them to stay involved. So why do patients and physicians love the patient portal?

What a Quality Patient Portal Can Offer:

Digital Intake

Digital patient intake is the online collection of patient data. Traditional intake is completed in the office, before a visit, on paper forms. This approach has caused long-wait times and delays in important visits. It also leads to discrepancies in the patient’s chart and a provider without the most updated information possible. Digital patient intake not only gives providers everything they need to make an informed clinical decision, but it also improves the patient experience. By giving patients a way to enter their medical history when it is convenient for them, you streamline their visit experience. Digital intake decreases long-wait times. The best news for providers is that after a patient enters their information online, that data is uploaded directly to their chart for their providers to access.

Online Interactions

If a patient needs to refill a prescription, request an appointment, view their medical history, and more, the patient portal offers a solution. Rather than take up the time of your front office staff, they can now do these things online. This offers an easy way for individuals to engage in their personal care without having to be in the office. This appeals to patients because it is convenient and offers the digital format they are used to in 2023.

Reduced Phone Calls

The patient portal has a direct impact on your practice’s overall efficiency. Now, patients do not need to call your practice if they have questions about their care, appointments, or concerns. Your staff spends less time on the phone verifying information or chasing down patients to confirm appointments. They are able to spend more time on practice-critical tasks, helping you accomplish more in your day.

Digital Communication

One of the best patient engagement-centered features of the patient portal that makes everyone’s lives easier is online communication. With a digital message center, patients can easily ask their providers questions, upload pictures to report details of their condition, or express concerns they might have about their health and care. Digital communication gives patients access to a 24/7 line of communication. This allows them to easily engage their providers rather than wait until their next visit to get an update.

Not all patient portals are the same. To learn more about a quality patient portal that can help increase patient engagement, satisfaction, and office efficiency, click here.