A growing number of patients are turning to the Web to access healthcare information.
In response to this demand, more and more physicians and hospitals are using patient portals as gateways for patients to find information.
Patients can also communicate with their physicians and access services using patient portals. Here is some information to help you understand how.
What Are Patient Portals?
A patient portal is a website you can use to securely interact with your electronic medical record at your doctor's office to perform some of the routine, health-related tasks that you would normally conduct at the office or by phone.
When Do You Use Patient Portals?
Most patient portals allow you to conduct the following tasks:
- Get results from lab tests and imaging studies
- Update your doctor about your condition or medications
- Clarify advice given to you during an office visit
- Ask general health questions that do not require a routine examination
- Request appointments, prescriptions, and referrals
- Obtain reliable health and disease information
- View and pay bills
If you have a new medical problem that needs to be diagnosed, you can use the patient portal to make an appointment for an office visit. That way, your doctor can conduct a physical exam and ask additional questions.
If you choose to communicate with your doctor using a patient portal, you should keep your messages to your doctor clear and concise. Take the time to organize your thoughts. Remember that the message you send will become part of your medical record.
When Not to Use Patient Portals
You should never use a patient portal if you have a medical emergency and need a quick answer. Difficulty breathing, bleeding, or severe abdominal pain all require immediate, personal medical attention.
Benefits
Well-educated, web-savvy people seem to be the most comfortable with patient portals. But, they are not the only ones. Communicating with a doctor's office online may solve transportation problems for older adults or people who cannot drive.
An increasing number of physicians and hospitals are using patient portals to communicate. If you'd like added healthcare convenience, then a practice that has a patient portal may be right for you.
RESOURCES
Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians http://www.familydoctor.org
US Department of Health & Human Services http://www.hhs.gov
CANADIAN RESOURCES
Health Canada http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca
The College of Family Physicians of Canada http://www.cfpc.ca
References
Adler KG. Web portals in primary care: an evaluation of patient readiness and willingness to pay for online services. J Med Internet Res. 2006;8(4):e26.
Krist AH, Beasley JW, Crosson JC, et al. Electronic health record functionality needed to better support primary care. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2014;21(5):764-771.
Terry K. Patient portals: Beyond meaningful use. Physicians Practice website. Available at: http://www.physicianspractice.com/technology/patient-portals-beyond-meaningful-use. Accessed June 29, 2016.
Umefjord G, Sandström H, Malker H, Petersson G. Medical text-based consultations on the Internet: a 4-year study. Int J Med Inform. 2008;77(2):114-121.
What is a patient portal? Health IT website. Available at: https://www.healthit.gov/providers-professionals/faqs/what-patient-portal. Accessed June 29, 2016.