HIM 220 Discussion: Patient Portals
Have you used a patient portal? What are the benefits? Are there any risks? Why is it important to apply consumer informatics when designing the portal?
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When responding to your peers, take your own patient portal experience into consideration and compare it to the experiences of your peers.
Will add classmate posting as I get them.
Classmate # 1
Classmate # 2
6-1 Discussion: Patient Portals
Have you used a patient portal? What are the benefits? Are there any risks? Why is it important to apply consumer informatics when designing the portal?
·
When responding to your peers, take your own patient portal experience into consideration and compare it to the experiences of your peers.
Classmate # 1
Classmate# 2
HIM 220 Discussion Guidelines and Rubric Overview: This discussion format might be new and very different from discussions you have had in other courses. This discussion offers you the opportunity to express your own thoughts, ask questions for clarification, and gain insight from your classmates’ responses and instructor’s guidance. This discussion format should not be viewed as a short paper with citations. APA format, including the use of citations, is not required. Imagine yourself sitting around a conference table with your instructor and classmates. This discussion topic will be similar. It is a place in which you can have lively conversations with your instructor and peers on the course content. These discussions will help you internalize the course content and become more comfortable with it. You should provide thoughtful responses using the course content to support your statements. Although these discussions are more informal, please be aware of how you are presenting yourself professionally. Please do not use slang and be aware of your spelling. Requirements: You are required to post one initial post and to follow up with at least two response posts for each discussion topic assignment. For your initial post, you must do the following:
Compose a post of one to two paragraphs. In Module One, complete the initial post by Thursday at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
In all other modules, complete the initial post by Thursday at 11:59 p.m. of your local time zone.
Take into consideration material such as course content and other discussion topics from the current module and previous modules, when appropriate. For your response posts, you must do the following:
Reply to at least two different classmates outside of your own initial post thread.
In Module One, complete the two response posts by Sunday at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
In all other modules, complete the two response posts by Sunday at 11:59 p.m. of your local time zone. Demonstrate more depth and thought than simply stating that “I agree” or “You are wrong.” Guidance is provided for you in each discussion prompt.
Rubric Guidelines for Submission: Write an initial post, ideally 1–2 paragraphs, and reply to at least two posts during the week outside of your initial post thread.
Critical Elements Evident (100%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Clarity of Communication Initial post clearly communicates key ideas and thoughts related to the prompt
Does not clearly communicate key ideas and thoughts in an initial posting related to the prompt
45
Timeliness Submits initial post on time Initial post is not submitted or is submitted late 25
Response Engagement Posts responses building off the initial post and incorporating course concepts
Response posts are missing, or do not build from initial posts and incorporate course concepts
30
Total 100%
Classmate # 1
Alexis Bell posted Jun 7, 2020 6:16 PM
Have you used a patient portal?
Yes, I am currently a patient at a community center. I find the portal very interesting and helpful. It helps went you can talk to your medical doctor fast and get answers faster.
The best part of it using E-script for a prescription that is hooked up to CVS, Walgreens or any family-owned pharmacy to get you a prescription. Another feature is setting up appointments or having tests fast. Getting your orders that are needed are best utilizing the system better. Having a patient portal makes life easier for patients, medical doctors, and the facility as a whole.
Are there any risks? Security is the biggest risk. The risks of having a portal are not being password protected and never left open for anyone to see. The use of portals does come with risks, such as privacy and security breaches, inappropriate patient use, and unrealistic expectations on the part of both the patient and the provider.
To reduce the risk of privacy and security breaches:
Require each user to register with a unique username and password.
Do not post or permit access to sensitive patient information (e.g., treatment pertaining to mental health, sexually transmitted diseases, or substance abuse).
Include portal access in all relevant privacy and security policies and procedures.
Develop portal-specific policies and procedures, as necessary.
Include portal use in your annual information technology security risk assessment.
Learn as much about portals as possible. Visit practices that have successfully implemented a portal and ask them what works and what doesn’t. Your EMR system vendor may be able to provide contact information.
Consider including technologically savvy patients in your portal implementation and testing.
Provide role-based training for portal users. The training for patients will be different from those received by providers and staff members.
between regulatory requirements and calls for stronger patient-centered care, patient portal adoption has become an integral part of a healthcare organization’s health technology suite.
Patient portals are an important regulatory requirement, with both meaningful use and MACRA’s Quality Payment Program calling for the tools in their final rules going into 2017. Beyond the regulatory requirements, industry experts have long lauded patient portals as the key to digital patient engagement.
Patient portals have since become a mainstay in the healthcare industry. ONC data shows that as of 2015 about 70 percent of hospitals offered patients the capability to electronically view, download, and transmit via a patient portal. A 2016 AHA Trend Report showed that patient data access and portal adoption had surged to 92 percent.
Despite patient portal popularity, some organizations may be behind the curve in adapting their tools or maybe looking to replace a patient portal for one that better suits clinic needs.
Healthcare organizations beginning the patient portal adoption process or looking into patient portal replacement options should consider the following steps for success:
Before investing in a new patient portal, healthcare organizations must determine what they want out of the technology. Some practices will need functions that others do not.
Classmate # 2
Yolanda Beasley posted Jun 8, 2020 9:26 AM
Hello class,
Yes, I have used patient portals just this morning. I requested a doctors appointment, I went over my last visit summary and made sure my lab results where available for me to view. Patient portals benefits are send and receive messages to your healthcare provider team. Show your plan of care, check upcoming appointments, mobile access with internet connection. I would say with any PHI and a internet connection there are always risk of viruses, hackers, and the wrong patient information uploaded to your portal. Hopefully all healthcare workers take HIPAA very seriously to minimize data errors.
Classmate # 1
Alexis Bell posted Jun 7, 2020 6:16 PM
Have you used a patient portal?
Yes, I am currently a patient at a community center. I find the portal very interesting and helpful. It helps
went you can talk to your medical doctor fast and get
answers faster.
The best part of it using E
–
script for a prescription that is hooked up to CVS, Walgreens or any family
–
owned pharmacy to get you a prescription. Another feature is setting up appointments or having tests
fast. Getting your orders that are
needed are best utilizing the system better. Having a patient portal
makes life easier for patients, medical doctors, and the facility as a whole.
Are there any risks? Security is the biggest risk. The risks of having a portal are not being password
pr
otected and never left open for anyone to see. The use of portals does come with risks, such as
privacy and security breaches, inappropriate patient use, and unrealistic expectations on the part of
both the patient and the provider.
To reduce the risk of p
rivacy and security breaches:
Require each user to register with a unique username and password.
Do not post or permit access to sensitive patient information (e.g., treatment pertaining to mental
health, sexually transmitted diseases, or substance abuse).
Include portal access in all relevant privacy and security policies and procedures.
Develop portal
–
specific policies and procedures, as necessary.
Include portal use in your annual information technology security risk assessment.
Learn as much about porta
ls as possible. Visit practices that have successfully implemented a portal and
ask them what works and what doesn’t. Your EMR system vendor may be able to provide contact
information.
Consider including technologically savvy patients in your portal implem
entation and testing.
Classmate # 1
Alexis Bell posted Jun 7, 2020 6:16 PM
Have you used a patient portal?
Yes, I am currently a patient at a community center. I find the portal very interesting and helpful. It helps
went you can talk to your medical doctor fast and get answers faster.
The best part of it using E-script for a prescription that is hooked up to CVS, Walgreens or any family-
owned pharmacy to get you a prescription. Another feature is setting up appointments or having tests
fast. Getting your orders that are needed are best utilizing the system better. Having a patient portal
makes life easier…
