How Patient Portals Lead to Improved Relations Between Practices and Patients  

Patient portals are being used more frequently by practices and other organizations as a way of improving relations between the practice and the patient. It can be a challenge, however, to get patients to grasp the extraordinary benefit from patient portals. Here are some of the ways that patient portals can help both practices and patients.

Improved Communication

Appointment reminders and prescription refill notifications are time-consuming tasks that can eat up entire mornings for office staff. With patient portals, staff can program in recurring reminders and notifications once, and have it done on an as-needed basis. Patients that may not have been available by email or telephone can receive the important messages when they log into their online portal.

Supplemental Information

Patient portals can be a terrific way to share supplemental information about a patient’s condition with the patient in a non-intrusive manner. This is one great method by which practices are learning how to get patients to use the patient portal. By letting them know that the portal is also a valuable tool for information about their condition, doctors and medical staff can increase awareness about the portal as well as give the patient yet another reason to use it.

Privacy

Patients who avail themselves of the patient portal can use it in complete silence and privacy, even when others are in the room. This allows them to take care of anything they need to tend to without having their private matters discussed out loud on the telephone in the presence of a visiting relative, neighbor or friend.

Immediate Accessibility

As long as the patient has a reliable Internet connection, they can access their portal from anywhere, immediately. For instance, if patients are at the pharmacy and can’t remember the name of an over-the-counter medication the doctor suggested, they can log in to the portal with a smart phone and get the name.

Enhanced Security

Having immediate access to the patient portal also gives patients a subtle yet valuable sense of enhanced security. It may make them feel like the doctor is always on call, and it can give them the satisfaction of knowing that their condition is being taken seriously by the medical staff.

Better Records

A patient portal can keep track of medical records automatically and efficiently. Once the foundation is built, the portal is a wonderful way for both patient and medical professional to review the history of the care the patient has received, as well as any concerns they may have expressed via the portal.

 

Patient portals are one way that technology helps both patients and practices. When practices work hard to get the patients online and using the portal, both benefit. For information about setting up a patient portal for your practice, please contact us today.