Our list of patient portal features that health providers demand to make life easier

A patient portal is a secure platform that allows patients to interact and communicate with their healthcare providers. They facilitate more effective communication between patients and physicians and encourage patients to play a larger role in managing their own care. Research has suggested that staying connected via a patient portal increases patient satisfaction and positively impacts health outcomes. Additionally, patient portals often contain features designed to streamline administrative tasks, saving your healthcare practice countless valuable hours. With integrated appointment scheduling software, medical billing, and invoice reminders, your staff will no longer have to waste their time organizing schedules and chasing down unpaid invoices. Instead, patient portals will allow you to spend all of your time and resources doing what you do best: delivering healthcare services to patients in need. The implementation of patient portals has risen significantly in recent years and in 2018, it was reported that over 90% of healthcare providers utilize some form of a patient portal.

Although the implementation rate of patient portals in healthcare practices is extremely high, the number of physicians and clients who utilize their full capabilities is much lower. We understand that getting used to a new form of technology can be a time-consuming process, but the benefits of an efficient patient portal, particularly in regards to optimizing patient health care, will undoubtedly make it worth it.

• Focus on patient care: Patient portals securely contain the real-time medical records of your clients. This means that physicians are completely prepared for their appointments, and can focus entirely on delivering services instead of filling in the gaps of a patient chart.
• Communication: One of the greatest benefits of the portal from the patient’s perspective is the ability to communicate directly with their healthcare provider. Patients can raise any questions or concerns via the platform without needing to book a separate appointment or phone the office. Certain services, including requesting a renewed prescription or referral to see a specialist, can also be completed on the patient portal. 
• Workflow: Managing the daily schedules of a healthcare practice can be complicated and time-consuming. This process is simplified with patient portals, as appointment scheduling software allows patients to simply select a time slot that suits them. Tasks that administrative staff would have otherwise had to complete can now be resolved by patients, allowing your practice to have an optimized workflow. ‍
• Clinical notes: Often integrated into patient portals is clinical note software, including helpful templates and storage capabilities. Physicians also have the option to display their clinical notes on a patient’s portal if they have been requested. With these patient portal features, clinical notes are truly made easy!

After you have decided to implement a patient portal into your healthcare practice, the next step is selecting the right platform. There are various things you will need to consider, and your decision will largely be based on the size of your practice and the types of services you deliver. This is where we can help you. Carepatron is a healthcare software that has been specifically designed to cater to your business needs. Carepatron provides a secure patient portal that is guaranteed to optimize your relationship with your patients, regardless of what field of healthcare you work in. The patient portal contains client medical records, as well as appointment and invoice information, allowing patients to stay up to date and informed of their treatment progress. Additionally, Carepatron is integrated with numerous other features that will maximize your healthcare practice, including appointment scheduling software, medical billing and coding, online payments, and clinical documentation. Out of any list of patient portals, Carepatron is undoubtedly the way to go.

With Carepatron, your healthcare business can streamline a number of processes and focus on delivering the highest quality of care to your patients. Some of the features included in Carepatron’s patient portal software include:

• Online appointment scheduling: Patients can log onto their patient portal and book an appointment in their own time. The appointment scheduling software will indicate to your patients the available time slots and accompanying physicians, allowing them to have greater flexibility over their bookings. Patients lead busy lives, and using an online appointment booking system gives them 24/7 access, meaning they don’t have to wait until the clinic’s opening hours to make an appointment.
• Registration: Registration forms can be uploaded onto the system, so that when a new client books their first appointment, they can enter the required information online. This saves a lot of time when they come into the clinic for their appointment, and can help ensure your schedule stays on time.
• Mobile payments: Carepatron offers online payments for their services. This means that patients don’t have to call up or go into the medical clinic, and can instead pay for their services at a time that suits them. The payment process is quick and easy and can be completed from both a computer and/or a mobile device.
• Clinical notes: Your clinical notes can be stored on Carepatron’s secure HIPAA-compliant platform, making documentation as simple as possible. You have various note formats to choose from, including SOAP and DAP, which will guarantee consistency between clients’ notes. If a patient requests, you can upload your progress notes onto their portal, encouraging transparency of treatment. 
• Client updates: Patients can communicate to their physician via the patient portal, which is especially useful if they have any medical updates. Using cloud-based technology means that anything uploaded onto the portal happens in real-time, so physicians can access any changes and respond efficiently and appropriately.
• Reminders: Carepatron offers automated invoice and appointment reminders that can be sent out to relevant clients. Dealing with no-shows and last-minute cancellations is a situation that burdens all healthcare providers. Carepatron’s automated appointment reminder feature has been demonstrated to reduce no-shows by up to 99%, helping your practice optimize its workflow. 
  

Conclusion

Implementing a patient portal into your healthcare practice is a guaranteed way to strengthen patient-physician relationships and optimize your workflow. An increasing number of healthcare practices have made the move to patient portals, and now the focus needs to be on utilizing these to their full capabilities. Carepatron’s healthcare software is easy to navigate from any device, allowing patients and physicians to stay informed at any time, from anywhere. Not only does Carepatron’s patient portal provide a platform for physicians and patients to communicate effectively, but it is integrated with features that streamline various administrative tasks. This will save your practice countless hours that can instead be spent seeing more patients and completing other important tasks. 

Further Reading: 

• What is telehealth? How is telehealth different from telemedicine? | HealthIT.gov
• Global mHealth Apps Market Will Reach USD 111.1 Billion By 2025: Zion Market Research