MARISA TORRIERI Associate Editor, Physicians Practice

WHAT IS A PATIENT PORTAL? A patient portal is a Web-based application that allows two-way communication between healthcare providers and their patients. What is a patient portal? Q: A:

 Reduce phone traffic handled by staff  Patients love to communicate online  HIPAA compliance  Helps ensure more timely bill pay  Helps you meet meaningful use WHY PATIENT PORTALS? Five Reasons to Hop the Portal Bandwagon NOW: WHY PATIENT PORTALS?

1.Provide a clinical summary of each visit to at least 50 percent of your patients within three business days. 2.Upon request, provide 50 percent of patients with electronic copies of their health information (including lab results, medication lists, allergies) within three business days. WHY PATIENT PORTALS? Stage 1 Core Requirements: MEANINGFUL USE Stage 2 Proposed Requirement: “ Offer patients the ability to view online, download, and transmit health information within four business days of the information being available to the EP.”

Source: 2012 Physicians Practice Technology Survey of more than 1,300 respondents 29% of practices currently using a portal PORTALS ARE GAINING POPULARITY

A good portal is:  Easy to use for providers, staff, and patients  Designed to improve efficiency in your practice’s day-to-day functions  Secure, robust, and functional CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD PORTAL

 This is not a new version of  Providers and staff leave messages for patients in their portal account, and vice versa  The patient uses a secure password and log-in to see his messages HOW ELECTRONIC MESSAGING WORKS

What Patients Can Do in the Portal 1.See test results 2.Pay bills 3.Make appointments 4.Manage prescriptions 5.Gain information about chronic diseases INSIDE THE PORTAL

C OST varies  Monthly fee per provider, usually as an add-on to your monthly EHR costs.  Sometimes there is a start-up fee (which may be waived).  Standalone product purchase: $1,500 to $3,000 up front; may or may not include a monthly service or licensing fee. PERSONA #1 HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

Questions to Ask/Criteria to Consider: Will the portal interface to your current EHR? Is it sold separately as a feature or only with the EHR system? Does the portal allow you to provide the patient with ready access to the criteria for CMS’ Meaningful Use EHR incentives? Is the portal HIPAA-compliant? PICKING A PORTAL

Questions to Ask/Criteria to Consider: What features does the patient portal have that will engage patients? What will the patient experience be like? How user friendly is it for providers and staff? How customizable is it? PICKING A PORTAL

Questions to Ask/Criteria to Consider: What needs to be done by your practice? Is there a backup plan? Does the vendor offer safety and uptime guarantees? Are you able to see actual chart information? What is the process for enabling patient access to the portal? PICKING A PORTAL

 Don’t just ask for patients/ addresses. Make sure they know why you want them.  Talk about the portals benefits.  Offer to help show portal, in person, to older patients, or those who are technologically challenged. Try these tips: GETTING PATIENTS TO THE PORTAL

M ARISA T ORRIERI Associate Editor Physicians Practice FOR MORE INFORMATION