Funded Study Finds Patient Characteristics and Preferences Can Impact the Use of Patient Portals

Those who enroll and use a patient portal have different demographic characteristics and interest levels in selected portal functions (e.g., emailing providers, viewing medical record on-line, making appointments) than those who don’t use a patient portal, according to a new study funded by AHRQ.   The study examines differences among primary care patients’ perceptions when contemplating using, enrolling to use, and experiences using a portal for healthcare purposes.  The article suggests that while many patients may indicate a “hypothetical” interest in using such a portal, those who actually enroll and use portals may represent a unique subgroup of a practice’s or health system’s population. The article also suggests that patients initially perceive only limited improvements in care because of the portal.  These differences have potential market implications, and can provide insight into how practices select and maintain portal functions of greater interest to patients using the portal. The study, “Consistency of Patient Preferences about a Secure Internet-based Patient Communications Portal: Contemplating, Enrolling, and Using,” was published in the April 18, 2012 edition of Journal of Medical Quality. Select to read the article.