Over the past few decades, numerous methods to improve patient engagement increase patient activation have popped up. This includes using patient portals and HIPAA compliant email.
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Researchers believe that increased patient engagement directly correlates with patient involvement. And increased patient involvement means better patient care. Covered entities (CEs) must utilize the best channel of communication that is also HIPAA compliant. Although both patient portals and email have their merits, ultimately HIPAA compliant email is a safer, simpler, and more effective communication tool.
Patient engagement involves the interaction between patients and CEs. Studies show that more involvement (i.e., patient activation) means better health outcomes and, more than likely, lower costs. According to a 2019 NEJM Catalyst Insights Council survey, 59% of patients believe effective patient engagement strategies have an impact on their healthcare. And if patients believe it, then finding the most effective communication methods must be important. Moreover, CEs are figuring out that patients want to be more engaged in their health. And they want a lasting relationship with their caregivers. Other methods of communication, besides email or portal systems, can be through mail, telephone/texts, and/or mobile applications (apps).
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For CEs the best techniques balance easy access with HIPAA compliance. That is, creating patient engagement while also avoiding data breaches and possible HIPAA violations. Patient portals began because of this balancing act.
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Not all patient portals perform the same functions. At the very least, these systems let patients communicate without fear of exposing their PHI.
We first addressed portal security in 2016 and concluded: having a portal does not necessarily mean more protection. For example, we often see email portals that use the same encryption methods as Paubox does with our HIPAA compliant email products.
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How portals differ has to do with means of access. Portals ask patients to open a new website or download an app and then create a new login to access a separate system with a separate password. In 2018, there was a push to use patient portals, but patients weren’t signing up or signing in. The Association of Health Care Journalists referred to portals as “dead zones.” By 2019, 62% of surveyed CEs said that less than one-quarter of their patients were registered on their portals. And those that were registering thought portals were only using them to make appointments. Today, nearly all CEs offer some type of patient portal even though patients still seem wary of using them. The potential is there, but problems with access and engagement outweigh positive outcomes. If patients don’t want to interact through a portal, such systems are useless.