Patient Portal is an online tool allowing patients to access their health information and communicate with their provider, ultimately creating a more educated health consumer. Typically, a patient portal is an add-on to your current EHR system, but some wonder if it is worth the investment.
Studies demonstrate patients’ desire to utilize a patient portal. Recently, 72% of consumers polled reported that they would use patient portal or another tool to assist them in paying bills and communicating with providers. It’s not just young adults seeking these services either: 67% of the baby boomer generation (born 1946-1964) and 75% of Generation X (born 1965-1976) shared this sentiment.
Practices utilizing patient portal should continue to promote its benefits and encourage patients to login to patient portal. Studies demonstrate that phone volume into the office decreases and the calls that do come into the office are completed quicker, consequently cutting down administrative costs.
As patients become educated healthcare consumers, practices without a patient portal could begin to see a decline in their patient load. A recent study identified that 59% of Generation Y respondents (born mid-1970-2000) would switch doctors for one with better online access.
TSI Healthcare recognizes the impact of patient portals by offering its clients NextGen’s Patient Portal. Patient Portal clearly increases the quality of care by engaging both patients and providers.
