Why Utilizing a Patient Portal in 2020 is Vital

Introduced into the industry in the late 90s, patient portals have become an integral part of healthcare. Functioning as a website for patients to access and view their personal health data, test results, and communicate with their providers, this tool catapulted the age of digital care delivery. Now, nearly every healthcare provider in the United States has some sort of Patient Portal attached to their Electronic Health Record Technology. As Meaningful Use requirements encourage providers to adopt quality practice technology, the right patient portal is vital in 2020.

Patient Portal and Patient Engagement

The patient portal became the hub for patient engagement as it gave patients everywhere increased access to information, healthcare professionals, and autonomy over their care. With a place to reach their provider and stay connected to their care team, patients gain the ability to stay more heavily involved in each process.

Communication tools in the patient portal enable individuals to reach out to their physicians with any type of questions, concerns, or information. With this open line for frequent interactions, patients can more easily work with their providers to tackle health goals, address red flags in their care, and plan for the future.

Where patients would have to wait to talk to their providers between visits, they now have complete access to them, making it simpler to address situations as they appear. This is essential for patient engagement, keeping the patient more involved in their care, and achieving more positive outcomes down the line.

Patient Access to Important PHI

Access to information is an incredibly important component to the success of a patient in their health journey. Where patients used to struggle to gain access to their updated chart and test results, the patient portal made all of their PHI available in one place.

Now patients simply log on to their patient portal dashboard, few the latest test results and information, and work with their provider to understand every detail. With this information in hand, patients are held accountable to their results, helping motivate them to achieve more for themselves and their health.

Interoperability in your EHR also enables your practice to seamlessly and securely exchange important patient data across health networks, helping each provider the patient works with have access to a completely comprehensive set of patient data.

With patient portal access, the patient can quickly log on to access their PHI, recall medications, request refills, ask a question, and pay their bill.

Achieve Meaningful Use Requirements

Part of the Meaningful Use/Incentive Programs, providers must meet certain EHR requirements to remain eligible for reimbursements. With the right patient portal integrated into your practice Electronic Health Record, you will not only help patients achieve more in their care, but you will also remain compliant with Meaningful Use requirements.

The goal of Meaningful Use is to encourage the adoption of quality Electronic Health Records that help providers achieve specific improvements in the way they deliver care to patients. The patient portal is essential for improving the quality of care within your organization while continuing to grow.

To learn more about a quality patient portal for your organization, click here.