The Role of Patient Portals in Patient-Centered Care and Engagement

This discussion board post examines the benefits of patient portals in healthcare, focusing on their role in enhancing patient engagement and promoting patient-centered care, as mandated by the HITECH Act. It highlights how patient portals improve communication between patients and providers, streamline tasks, reduce no-show appointments, and facilitate the management of chronic illnesses. The discussion also explores how patient-generated health data contributes to the continuity, quality, and safety of care by empowering patients and enabling more informed treatment plans. Ultimately, the post advocates for improved, patient-centered models within the healthcare system to maximize the benefits of patient engagement through technology.

Running Head: PATIENT PORTAL 1
Patient Portal
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Date of Submission

PATIENT PORTAL 2
Patient Portal
In the current, digital age, technologies are of great help to the health care industries.
The technology has improved ways through which the physicians care for the patients.
Patient portals have been known to improve and inform people about their healthcare. The
patient portal is used in hospitals and clinics. Patient portals are defined as online platforms
that enable individuals and access their personal information, make schedules, email the
physicians and make payments. The patient photo is also essential as it helps the patient to
carry out some of the tasks which would have been carried out through a face to face visit or
through the telephone.
Reduces incidences of patients not showing up
The patient portal reduces the number of times patient forget to attend the physicians
appointment. Most of the patient portals send emails as reminders to the patients, on the
upcoming appointments
Patient portal increases the patient engagement
Patient portal is important in enhancing the frequency through which, the patient is
concerned in their healthcare. This is made possible by the fact that the portals provide the
necessary information required by them more easily.
Patient portals are efficient
Patient portals can easily complete daily tasks that would have to be completed by
several staff members. The ability of patients to make appointments and request for medical
refills through the patient portals help in streamlining the time consuming tasks.
Improved communication

PATIENT PORTAL 3
The patient portals strengthen the relationship between the physician and the patient
since there is frequent contact. The frequent contact improves the patients care and reduces
the costs of visiting the doctor (Ukoha, 2018).
The patient portal, provide the patients with convenience of their ability to contact at
any time of the day. The portal also provides the patients with information that thy need to
know for them to improve their healthcare. The patient’s portal also reduces the number of
calls that the physicians receive (Irizarry, 2017). The portal reduces the chances of delays and
miscommunication that occurs through the phone.
Improves the management of chronic illnesses, the patient sends their results through
Bluetooth which enables them to receive healthcare from their homes and this will in turn
lead to improved healthcare. The patient generated data also helps in prescribing the medicine
initiative. Patients contribute their data in order to help optimize treatment plans. The health
data generated by patient also empowers the patients and makes them feel in control of their
health.
The healthcare system should boost the patient’s engagement through more improved,
patient centred models. The physicians and doctors should encourage patients to contribute to
the data for a strong healthcare system.

PATIENT PORTAL 4
References
Irizarry, T., Shoemake, J., Nilsen, M. L., Czaja, S., Beach, S., & Dabbs, A. D. (2017). Patient
portals as a tool for health care engagement: a mixed-method study of older adults
with varying levels of health literacy and prior patient portal use. Journal of medical
Internet research, 19(3).
Ukoha, E. P., Feinglass, J. M., & Yee, L. M. (2018). 419: Disparities in electronic patient
portal use in a pregnant population. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
218(1), S255-S256.