From online banking to keeping in touch with friends and family across the globe, the growth of the internet and advancements in technology have helped make many daily tasks more efficient. With the wealth of information available online via a smartphone or laptop, it was only a matter of time before access to your healthcare records caught up with the times. Today you can easily access your medical records and get in touch with your healthcare team via your online patient portal.
What is a patient portal?
A patient portal is an online interface for patients to easily access their medical records, empowering patients with the option to take a more active role in understanding their health. The most common use for patient portals is accessing lab and test results.
For example, if you are a patient of a Brown University Health clinic or primary care practice and you visit a Brown University Health laboratory to get blood work done, your test results could be available in your Brown University Health MyChart application—your patient portal—as soon as the laboratory transmits them to your provider's office. You would then be able to review your lab work and make a note of any questions you might have for your provider at your next appointment, helping you feel prepared and like an active partner in your health journey.
Other benefits of using a patient portal
In today's fast-paced world, being able to schedule and communicate online is a must. Many of us have gotten used to the ease of ordering goods, foods, and services from the comfort of our smartphones. And many of us have experienced the inconvenience of trying to make a phone call during business hours, when most people are not available to spend time on hold or being transferred from place to place. Patient portals offer the ability to send messages, schedule or cancel appointments, and ask questions, all without the hassle of navigating phone trees.
In addition, patients can see their health history, medical diagnoses and visit notes, and send updates for relevant medical information, such as changes to family history, directly to their charts. Clinicians can send educational materials, reminders, and care plans securely and directly to the portal, allowing patients to access them when needed.
Patient portals are also a one-stop shop for:
- quick requests of medication refills
- a way to easily update insurance information
- financial assistance resources and a way to pay medical bills online
- growth charts and immunization records for dependent children
- end-of-life planning resources
How do patient portals help my healthcare team?
Patient portals help our healthcare teams be more efficient in the delivery of care, by facilitating communication between visits. They enable us to send questionnaires or screenings ahead of patient visits, which shortens the administrative time during a visit and gives you more time with the clinician to discuss what really matters. They reduce the number of missed appointments by using automated reminders.
Finally, and perhaps the best reason to use a patient portal, they can help improve your health. Several studies have shown that improved health outcomes are associated with portal usage. Patients have better preventative health behaviors when they are regular portal users, and for people with chronic conditions, there was improved adherence and management of those conditions with portal use.
Patient portals offer a fast, easy way to communicate with your healthcare team, safely view important health information, and fulfill healthcare needs, all from your computer or smartphone. Talk with your healthcare provider about their patient portals and how you can gain access to your healthcare records. For Brown University Health patients, call your practice or Brown Health Medical Group Primary Care provider. Learn more about Brown University Health's MyChart portal on our website.
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