One of the most significant changes in healthcare that are on the horizon is the rise in popularity of patient portals.
Patient portals have long been on the way to becoming the new essential tool for managing health, and the constantly increasing demand for e-visits fuels that process even more.
What factors contribute to this trend? How will patients’ demands change over time?
Let’s explore all that just now!
E-visits are a part of healthcare of the future
E-visits, also known as telehealth consultations, have surged in popularity following the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, scheduling a traditional in-person visit for yourself became incredibly challenging with all the lockdowns and social distancing measures in place.
COVID-19 highlighted a strong necessity for highly functional and inclusive patient portal solutionsto support the growing demand for remote healthcare services. Video conferencing, secure messaging, and electronic sharing of medical documents – the pandemic shed light on one big problem. The problem is that there are not enough advanced and user-friendly patient portals.
Convenience is another big advantage that e-visits bring to healthcare. That too is something millions have been waiting for. Doesn’t matter where you are geographically, patient portals are always there for you to access healthcare services.
The demand for patient portals grows and patients seek one that can offer them:
- Opportunity to schedule appointments
- Access medical records
- Communication with different healthcare providers
- Secure interface and data
Digitalization as a factor of influence
COVID-19 was not the only factor of impact on patient portals though. Internet, or best to say, interned expenditure, is another big factor that has been driving the adoption of patient portals.
It has always been that people living in remote rural areas faced significant barriers in terms of accessing healthcare due to distance and limited resources in that area.
With the invention of the internet and its rapid geographical development, the barriers are diminishing. That’s why rural populations are the ones that are benefiting from e-visits and patient portals the most. Not only enhanced access to healthcare, patient portals promote health equity as they work towards ensuring that remote communities get the same level of care as those living in urban areas.
What do patients expect and demand from patient portals of today?
The demands and expectations of users evolve as patient portals become more and more widespread. Generic patient portals that are forcefully limited to function only with one single health organization don’t fly anymore, only custom healthcare software development does.
Changes in medical records. What they are and how to interact with them?
Medical records are worth to begin with as it’s the core of any patient portal out there. Patients expect to access their medical records easily and for the records themselves to be complete.
Technically speaking, this involves using multiple APIs to pull data from disparate systems to gather everything into a single, cohesive view. The data, such as:
- Lab results
- Prescription records
- Visit summaries
- Much, much more
Only with effective data management and a user-friendly interface a patient portal can present information in an accessible and understandable manner.
Another level of interoperability
As for now, many are disappointed with the interoperability level of their patient portals. They demand a change. They demand for their portals to communicate and share information across different healthcare providers and systems.
The solution is not just the implementation of standardized protocols such as HL7 (Health Level Seven) or FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources).
The integration of multi-purpose APIs together with the adherence to strict data governance policies for secure and accurate information transfer may be that solution. The task is far from easy, partly because it must be done all while maintaining compatibility with various electronic health record (EHR) systems.
Freedom to customizable features
Users expect developers to approach creating any piece of software with a personalized experience for every user in mind. Healthcare and patient portals are no exception.
Personalization and customization here mean:
- Customizable dashboards
- Adjustable appointment reminders
- Individualized health advice
Thankfully, developers have all the technologies and tools to meet that demand. If using user preferences is something they’ve been leveraging for quite some time now, machine learning algorithms bring new opportunities to the table, making it possible to provide even more relevant health insights and accurate recommendations.
Users of patient portals want to be in control of their environment. They want their dashboards to be designed using modular components they can later play with, let’s say, by adjusting to display the information most relevant to them. Or, they want to choose what kind of notifications to receive via email and what via SMS, and when!
These features and AI-driven technologies enhance user engagement, improve adherence to medical advice, and make the general quality of care way better. The fact that people desire their software to give a feeling that it’s made just for them corresponds with the increased demand for custom healthcare development. Custom solutions have proved that they benefit both healthcare providers and patients.
What trends shape the development of portal solutions?
These 4 trends are shaping the future of patient portal solutions the most:
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Predictive analytics for personalized health recommendations driven by AI will continue to enhance patient portals even further.
Blockchain Technology. Cyber threats become more dangerous as the world goes online. The use of blockchain to secure medical records and other sensitive data patient portals have is inevitable.
Improved Telehealth. Better integration of telehealth services within patient portals is the only way to give patients a one-stop solution for virtual healthcare needs.
Mobile Accessibility. The number of users who prefer an on-the-go approach to managing various areas of their lives continues to grow. Making patient portals to be fully functional on mobile devices will soon become the new norm.
Final Thought
Patient demands will continue to evolve as the user base of patient portals grows bigger. Healthcare providers must be aware of the latest trends and invest in solutions that will remain relevant and adaptable for the future.
