Understanding Patient Portals and Meaningful Use

While many providers realize the importance of patient portals – especially for meeting Stage 2 Meaningful Use criteria – not everyone knows what separates an exceptional portal from a mediocre one.

So we spoke with Ian Bjorsvik, Systems Consultant at CareCloud, to get the lowdown on the features, functionality, and cost-effectiveness that defines a quality patient portal.

What To Ask

A dynamic patient portal can be an effective business tool for your practice.

Your portal should be able to notify you when a patient is due for a clinical visit, and then send them a reminder to schedule an appointment. Plus, it should allow patients to pay bills online and send the doctor secure, private messages through the system.

But unfortunately, not all portals come equipped with these capabilities. A big problem many practices encounter when shopping for a portal solution is that they don’t know what to ask of potential vendors.

This is because health IT providers deliver different features at specific price points. So if you want to get the most from your technology investment, we suggest going into the sales process with an arsenal of questions that’ll help you make the best decision possible.

Bjorsvik suggests you start by asking the following:

1.  Does your portal allow for patient communication or is it just a delivery device? Once the patient receives information through the portal, what can they do with it?

2.  Can the patient register for the patient portal online or do they have to be authorized by the practice first? Does the portal send the patient an automatic registration notification after their visit?

3.  How do patients log in to the portal? Can they access it through the practice’s website?

4.  Does the portal track how many patients are accessing the system? Does it show you what they’re doing once inside?

5.  Is the portal customizable? Does it offer different language settings depending on patient preference?

6.  Did a third party develop the patient portal? If so, are portal support issues outsourced?

Cost and Meaningful Use

As with any significant purchase, the cost is always a concern. But don’t just assume a more expensive portal will better fulfill your needs. Some of the best patient portals are included in the price of an EHR at no extra cost to the user.

Currently, the most popular reason for patient portal integration seems to be attesting to the Stage 2 Meaningful Use criteria and qualifying for the hefty incentive payment. However, to successfully attest, your portal must allow patients to post questions online as well as grant them access to patient education material.

And because Stage 2 of the Meaningful Use Program requires at least 5% of your patients to view, download, and transmit their health information online, it’s important to have a portal that is accessible, easy to use, and provides value to patients.

By following these simple guidelines, finding a suitable patient portal should be a bit easier. Just remember to keep cost and functionality at the forefront throughout the decision-making process.