By Leah Grebner, PhD, RHIA, CCS, FAHIMA, Professor, Director of Health Information Technology
Healthcare providers have been making the transition from paper-based health records to using electronic health records. This transition involves numerous benefits for patients, including the ability to access personal health information through a patient portal. A patient portal is generally accessible using a website that provides secure access to personal health information any time of day, from any location with Internet access. However, patient portals are not just limited to accessing from a computer. There are also smart phone applications that are associated with the more common patient portals, including the MyChart application.
Patients may use the portal to view test results and compare recent results with previous results. However, it is important to recognize the fact that there is some risk involved when the patient is reviewing results without being face-to-face with the provider. Without the provider’s presence, a full explanation of the results is not able to be provided when they are viewed. Patients may view the results and try to research possible explanations, and self-diagnosis. One concern with this is the amount of inaccurate information that exists on the Internet. When researching medical information online, the best practice is to avoid most websites that end in .com. Websites with .org, .gov, or .edu generally have more reputable information. Be careful with any site using a wiki, as these include information that may be added by anybody, not just healthcare professionals.
Many abnormal test results may indicate a wide variety of potential diagnoses. Combinations of symptoms and abnormal results may reflect something serious, such as cancer, or they could also indicate a relatively harmless benign condition. It is easy for a patient to self-diagnose incorrectly, causing unnecessary worry until the next appointment with the provider. Another concern with self-diagnosing is temptation to pursue potentially harmful home remedies. It is possible that this type of practice could cause more harm than good, depending on the nature of the condition that the patient actually has.
Communication with the healthcare provider may occur using a patient portal. This is basically sending an e-mail to the provider, generally followed by an e-mail response through the portal. Some providers may have a patient send a follow-up update on a condition they are monitoring, while others use this functionality to receive basic healthcare questions from their patients. The portal may also be used for scheduling appointments for routine or non-urgent needs. It is recommended that patients contact the provider by phone if they have urgent healthcare needs. If a patient has a medical emergency, it should either be addressed by phone, a visit to the nearest emergency department, or a call to 911.
Patients have the ability to view their health history using a patient portal. This may include medications, health issues, medication allergies, and immunization history. Patients should take time to review this information to make sure everything is accurate. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) includes a provision for patients to request an amendment to correct inaccurate or incomplete information if an error is found in a health record. If a patient reviews records and finds an error, the provider must respond to a request for an amendment, or correction of the record. If the provider disagrees with the request, the patient has a right to submit a statement of disagreement that must be added to the record by the provider.
Different patient portals have different functionalities. The functions listed in this article are just a sampling of the types of activities that may be performed using patient portals. Many providers are still in the process of developing additional functions. If you have any questions about the functionality of your provider’s patient port, ask your specific healthcare provider.
For additional information, please contact Dr. Leah Grebner. Looking for education to start a new career? Visit Midstate College,
www.midstate.edu or call 309-692-4092. Midstate College is located at 411 West Northmoor Road, Peoria, IL 61614.
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