Payments > Patient Billing

Does Patients use Patient Portal?

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Ango_mark03:
Nowadays are physicians facing difficulties in getting their patients to use patient portal?

Michele:
I don't have any personal experience in this but........ (it's always the buts that get us in trouble :) )

My opinion is that most people are looking for things like this.  I know I would love to be able to look on a website to verify my appointment.  I always lose my appt cards!  Also, I would prefer to go online and fill out info at home than "arrive 15 minutes early to complete paperwork".  The only people that may have a harder time are older patients, and most older patients have a younger family member that is responsible for this stuff anyway.  I cared for my great aunt for 20 years (She passed away a little over a year ago) and I would have loved to have been able to do that stuff before I got her to the appointment.  I can type a whole lot faster than I can hand print things!

DMK:
This is probably opening an unintended can of worms but.....(and it IS the buts that get us in trouble)

While I understand the concept of a patient portal, the ONLY thing I think they should be for IS intake forms and general information.  MAYBE for negative test results.  I just see so many security risks in the concept that I don't like the concept.  But I'm old fashioned that way.

I actually polled several of our young, tech savvy patients about patient portals and physician web sites.  My main question was "Would you CHOOSE your physician (Chiro, Gyno, Surgeon,Dentis etc) based solely on their web site?"  The answer was a resounding NO.  It was still most important to ask their friends and family who they liked and were happy with.

They did read the testimonials (but understood that web site builders often "create" testimonials), and they liked the photos of the facility and the doctor and staff, and the overall "mission statement" (I hate that term), but ultimately it's the word of mouth that was more important.

We've been really wrestling with doing a web site (they're not free you know!) but the requirement of EHR kind of forces the issue, doesn't it?  Ultimately, a beautiful site/portal, and pretty pictures does NOT mean that the doctor is any good, or good for you.  A handsome doctor is no better at treating you for your health problems than a less attractive one.  It may make you feel better if the doctor is your same ethnicity (but that shouldn't even BE an issue) or if they have a pretty office but very often good doctors keep their overhead low so they can focus on being a good doctor, not making a ton of money.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.  I'll be really interested to hear how others feel!

PMRNC:

--- Quote ---That's my story and I'm sticking to it.  I'll be really interested to hear how others feel!
--- End quote ---

AMEN.. couldn't have said it better. I have an OPT out with my physicians. They may not store any PHI for purposes OTHER than sending claims to my insurance carrier. I always remember the fact that the CIA and FBI websites are hacked all the time.. why on EARTH would I trust my personal health information on any website.. ??
It is amazing to me how all this talk about EHR has not sparked physicians at all to inform patients of their RIGHT to opt out.

DMK:

--- Quote from: PMRNC on February 12, 2014, 04:47:02 PM ---
It is amazing to me how all this talk about EHR has not sparked physicians at all to inform patients of their RIGHT to opt out.

--- End quote ---

I'll guarantee it's because they don't know that it's an option!  Most of them don't even understand the intention of the portal or EHR in general.

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