Experiences of a Patient Portal with Access During 9 Years to the Medical Records, in Primary Care.
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Abstract
Background
A patient portal, called “Health Care Account†(HCA), which allowed patients to access their primary health care records and patient administrative information from Uppsala University Hospital was evaluated during 2002-2012. The project is the first of its kind in Sweden and probably the longest follow up of a patient portal in the World.
Objective
The aim with this study is to address questions about the benefits for patients as well as healthcare professionals with a patient portal used in clinical practice for a long time. The specific questions are: What information is of most interest to the patient and how can it be made available and presented? Which type of patients were attracted to the portal? What were the security concerns? How did the portal influence the work at the practice?
Methods
The setting of the system was a single practice, in Uppsala county of Sweden. 2213 listed patients (16-97 years, 52.9% men) were invited to use the portal. Patients had access to the HCA by a link on their primary physician’s web site. After login, a menu was presented where the patient could directly obtain Medical records information such as, scheduled future visits, documents, patient information, medicines, lab results, sick leave, hypersensitivity, fees, doctor notes, and diagnoses.
The HCA was restricted to publish date and type of incoming and outgoing documents such as x-ray results, referrals, and discharge summaries. The reason for this was that we believed that contact with a physician was necessary in order to explain the contents of such documents for the patient. For the same reason, reference values for lab analyses were also omitted. Links to the administrative systems of the Uppsala University Hospital and a messaging function were also included. Furthermore, links to external information such as pharmaceutical dictionary (Patient FASS), and the medical dictionaries InfoMedica and Pion were also included.
Both evaluation questionnaires and interviews were conducted and implemented on two separate occasions. Uppsala University Ethics Committee approved the research Project.
Results
This long term follow up study revealed that patients with chronic conditions, and patients living in a one-person household benefit the most of the portal. The most popular services were the access to laboratory results and doctor´s notes. There were no major security concern and the portal had no negative impact on the work at the practice.
Conclusions
Patients with chronic illnesses and patients living alone benefit the most of direct acces to their Medical records. The patient portal is easily implemented in clinical practice.
A patient portal, called “Health Care Account†(HCA), which allowed patients to access their primary health care records and patient administrative information from Uppsala University Hospital was evaluated during 2002-2012. The project is the first of its kind in Sweden and probably the longest follow up of a patient portal in the World.
Objective
The aim with this study is to address questions about the benefits for patients as well as healthcare professionals with a patient portal used in clinical practice for a long time. The specific questions are: What information is of most interest to the patient and how can it be made available and presented? Which type of patients were attracted to the portal? What were the security concerns? How did the portal influence the work at the practice?
Methods
The setting of the system was a single practice, in Uppsala county of Sweden. 2213 listed patients (16-97 years, 52.9% men) were invited to use the portal. Patients had access to the HCA by a link on their primary physician’s web site. After login, a menu was presented where the patient could directly obtain Medical records information such as, scheduled future visits, documents, patient information, medicines, lab results, sick leave, hypersensitivity, fees, doctor notes, and diagnoses.
The HCA was restricted to publish date and type of incoming and outgoing documents such as x-ray results, referrals, and discharge summaries. The reason for this was that we believed that contact with a physician was necessary in order to explain the contents of such documents for the patient. For the same reason, reference values for lab analyses were also omitted. Links to the administrative systems of the Uppsala University Hospital and a messaging function were also included. Furthermore, links to external information such as pharmaceutical dictionary (Patient FASS), and the medical dictionaries InfoMedica and Pion were also included.
Both evaluation questionnaires and interviews were conducted and implemented on two separate occasions. Uppsala University Ethics Committee approved the research Project.
Results
This long term follow up study revealed that patients with chronic conditions, and patients living in a one-person household benefit the most of the portal. The most popular services were the access to laboratory results and doctor´s notes. There were no major security concern and the portal had no negative impact on the work at the practice.
Conclusions
Patients with chronic illnesses and patients living alone benefit the most of direct acces to their Medical records. The patient portal is easily implemented in clinical practice.
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