EHR Optimization

The Academy highly encourages patient portal usage because it reduces patient wait times and improves practice efficiency. Many EHRs offer portals as optional add-ins, but there are also many stand-alone portals. Be sure the portal integrates with your EHR and/or practice management software, and make sure the portal is activated, as this offers many advantages.

Why are patient portals a game changer for patients and physicians? Check out the features for each.

Physicians and office staff have the ability to:

1. Improve patient engagement and provider workflow

• Portals enable new pathways for patient engagement and a variety of opportunities for improvements in provider workflow.

2. Exchange secure messages between the dermatologist and patients

• One of the chief functions of portals is to enable secure, encrypted electronic communication between patients and providers.

3. Streamline administrative tasks, which improves office efficiency

• Patients can enter and correct data via a portal, reducing errors and labor spent transcribing paper forms.

4. Handle fewer phone calls

• Patients who renew prescriptions or communicate with the dermatologist online will not need to call and occupy staff time.

5. Improve clinical outcomes

• That is, portals enable dermatologists to monitor quality improvements by setting standardizations of care in their practice.

6. Easily refill prescriptions for patients

• Portals enable patients to request prescription refills with the press of a button.

7. Optimize medical office workflow

• Portals improve workflow by enabling easier prescription refills, requests for appointments, communication with the dermatologist, access to lab results, and more.

8. Provide lab test results in a timely manner

• Patients can typically access lab results in the portal as soon as they are available in the EHR, meeting patient needs while reducing administrative workload.

9. Increase patient loyalty

• The physician-patient relationship is important, and ongoing communication through the portal will strengthen patient loyalty by easing communication.

Patients have the ability to:

1. Easily update new or existing personal medical, demographic, and insurance information.

2. Send and receive secure and direct messages to and from the dermatologist.

3. Request appointments and set up automatic appointment reminders to reduce incidences of no shows.

4. Request medication and prescription refills.

5. Access health information quickly and securely, such as lab and test results, prescription history, past appointment summaries, etc.

6. Reduce unnecessary office visits.

Don’t forget to promote the patient portal with your patients!

Get tips on encouraging patients to access their health records via patient portals in this helpful resource center created by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC).

• What's in a health record: Your health record can help you take control of your own health, well-being, and safety.

• How to access your health record: Explore these tips on how to request your health record.

• Check your record: Once you’ve got your health record, review it to make sure that all of your health information is complete, correct, and up-to-date.

• Use your record: Your health record can help you understand, advocate for, and manage your own health care — it can make you an expert on you.

Additional AAD resources