Why Patient Portals Benefit Providers as Much as Patients

Finding the right tools that not only help your patients navigate the healthcare world but also understand it better is an important part of their success. It sets them up to be more engaged in their care and involved with their providers. With patients who have a better grasp of their medical care, and the right tools to take charge, providers stand to gain quite a bit as well. The patient portal has empowered patients all over to take charge of their personal care, develop a deeper relationship with their provider, schedule their own appointments online and much more. How does the patient portal benefit more than just the patient? The truth behind this tool is that it benefits the provider just a much.

The Provider’s Patient Portal

1)    On-Time Payments

One of the many features that benefit the patient and the provider on the patient portal is the online billing component. In the past, providers had to rely on paper billing to collect form their patients. Medical billing can be incredibly overwhelming for patients, no matter how big or how small. The patient portal has removed some of the anxiety surrounding medical billing by making it more transparent. Now patients have the ability to log onto the patient portal, view their bills, and pay them all in one spot. This is revolutionary for providers because while it helps the patient feel secure in making payments, it helps the provider receive more on-time payments in return.

2)    Increases Efficiency

Providers and their team have plenty enough on their plate that they should not have to worry about some of the more tedious tasks that consume time. One thing that the patient portal offers providers is the time it frees up for their front office team by allowing patients to complete paperwork and form online prior to their visit. The patient portal reduces the amount of time the patient spends in the office as well as reduce the amount of time your front office staff spends digitizing paperwork.

3)    Improved Health Outcomes

One of the most important benefits that the patient portal offers providers looking to improve the health of both their patients and their practice is the number of improved health outcomes that are seen. This is a result of increased levels of patient engagement that are seen from patients who utilize the patient portal has a regular part of their care continuum. How does the patient portal increase patient engagement? It does this in a few ways. The first being that it offers patients an easy and convenient way to communicate with his provider. With an easy way to communicate with their provider, patients get their questions answered, their concerns addressed, and feel empowered to address their health in a new way. The other way a patient portal increases patient engagement and increase good outcomes is by allowing patients a way to track their test results and vitals. This helps holds them more accountable to what is happening with their health, versus ignoring it.

Overall, the patient portal gets patients more engaged in their health by offering them a secure way to track and monitor their billing as well as make payments online, complete documentation prior to a visit, and stay on top of their personal health with access to their personal health record. This benefits providers by ensuring their patient’s success, helping them receive more on-time payments, and increasing office efficiency. A patient portal is an essential tool of any practice. To find out more about what a quality patient portal looks like, contact our team.