Wecaremd Patient Portal (2024)

FAQs

Why do some patients fail to participate in the use of the patient portal? ›

In an age where data breaches are common, some patients are hesitant to put their health information online. They're concerned about who might see their data and how it could be used. So, while patient portals have the potential to revolutionize healthcare, they're facing real challenges.

About 3 in 5 individuals nationwide reported they were offered and accessed their online medical record or patient portal in 2022 — this represents a 50 percent increase since 2020. Figure 1: Percent of individuals nationwide who were offered and accessed their online medical record or patient portal, 2014-2022.

In a meta-analysis, Neves et al¹⁸ found that patient portal use was associated with improved health outcomes for patients, as well as increased safety and quality of care.

Patient portals can help you access medical records, set up appointments, communicate with your health care professional, and pay medical bills. Some portals are created exclusively for a hospital or clinic, but there are companies that offer solutions that multiple health care systems can use.

Patient portals can inadvertently contribute to alienation between patients and healthcare providers, particularly among populations with limited access to these online tools. Individuals with lower health literacy may be resistant to using patient portals due to the potential for confusion and misunderstanding.

Barriers to Patient Portal Use

Tech literacy, socioeconomic status, and internet infrastructure in the patient's community could impact a patient's ability to access devices and/or a wireless connection.

In multivariable analysis, we found that nonusers were more likely to be male, be on Medicaid, lack a regular provider, and have less than a college education, compared to users. Similar disparities existed in who reported being offered access to a portal, with nonwhites also less likely to report being offered access.

Patient portals provide patients access to health records, lab results, medication refills, educational materials, secure messaging, appointment scheduling, and telehealth visits, allowing patients to take a more active role in their health care decisions and management.

A HIPAA-compliant patient portal is a secure online platform that allows healthcare organizations to exchange confidential lab results and other detailed reports with their clients. The portal meets the standards of the HIPAA, which regulates the use and disclosure of protected health information (PHI).

Some of the trends that are expected to shape the patient portal in 2023 and beyond include: 1. Artificial intelligence (AI): AI-powered tools, such as chatbots and virtual assistants, are expected to become more common on patient portals, providing patients with personalized health information and guidance.

Do doctors read MyChart messages? ›

Understanding MyChart messaging

Multiple members of your care team may view MyChart messages in order to get an appropriate and efficient response; this may include nurses or advance practice clinicians other than your primary care provider (PCP).

MyChart gives you access to your health information and a direct connection to your care team, with tools to help you actively participate in your care.

Patient Portals contain EMRs, but patients aren't allowed to update their information there. Instead, Patient Portals provide them with different ways to communicate with a physician, view lab results, pay bills, book an appointment, and more.

Patient portals and personal health records (PHRs) are two primary patient engagement technologies enabling patient data access. Still, it can be hard to distinguish between the two. These tools have a lot of overlapping features, leading some healthcare professionals to use the terms interchangeably.

Patients may fail to appear for appointments because: they have been pressed for a payment but do not have the funds to pay. they are in denial and are having difficulty facing their illness. they simply forget.

Send postcards to patients, introducing your portal and encouraging them to use it to request their next appointment or medication refill. Add a tag line to appointment cards, statements, newsletters, and other communication. An example: “Tired of playing phone tag? Sign up for the patient portal.”