The vast majority of your patients want to be involved and have a say in their medical treatments and their healthcare—and they should. It’s their lives, and the more informed they are, the better they can take care of themselves. To achieve this goal, they need to have access to their records and medical professionals, and that can be achieved with EHR software equipped with patient portals.
Having a patient portal isn’t only beneficial to the patient, but it impacts your practice as well. As technology continues to advance, and patients figure out how to use the portal, they may demand access from your office. Thus, including it now is in your best interest. Below are some of the benefits that you will reap with patient portals and EHR software.
Improve Patient Engagement
When patients have access to their information, they are more willing and better equipped to interact with their medical teams to improve their health and care. With the right software, you can allow your patients to access information collected about their family history, recent symptoms, or health monitors.
This information can benefit you because you’ll get a deeper insight into your patients’ clinical issues and what they are doing (or not doing) daily. Access to this information benefits your patients because they will have the insight that will allow them to participate in their own healthcare.
Increase Patient Loyalty
When patients feel connected to their healthcare providers, this can put them at ease and create a connection that makes them loyal to your practice. Whether they are dealing with a chronic issue or come in once a year for a check-up, having access to medical providers to ask questions as they arise can ensure that they feel valued and heard.
The right EHR software makes it easy for you or your staff to chat with patients outside of normal office hours. This can give them peace of mind if a medical issue arises, and they are uncertain if it’s an emergency, and it can help you give your patients the proper care to ensure that they are as healthy as possible.
Another feature that a patient portal offers is the ability for people to pay their bills online. Not only does this make it easy and convenient for them, but it also ensures that you get your money as quickly as possible. It could also reduce losses, as well as the time and effort needed to work with collection agencies to collect unpaid invoices.
Improve Medication Adherence:
It has been found that patients who have access to their doctor’s notes have a higher rate of medication adherence. This is because they are more engaged in their treatment plans, and they can access information about dosage and how often they should be taking their medication. This ensures that they are taking the necessary steps to become healthy.
This benefits you because you know that your patients are adhering to the treatment plan you put together for them. This can improve your patients’ lives significantly.
When it comes to taking care of patients, this is a process that requires collaboration. You may have the medical knowledge necessary to make people healthy, but they have to put their treatments into practice. Having EHR software that offers a patient portal can help get patients involved with their healthcare, and that can benefit you both. If you haven’t already added this to your software, then it’s about time you reconsider.