Failings Of A Patient Portal

Many practices have integrated patient portals into their practices over the past few years, and many others plan on doing the same in the future. I love the idea of a patient portal and have had one for over a year. The ability of a patient to send messages across a secure line is essential, especially for those who wish to remain HIPAA compliant. For patients, the portal is a great tool because they can schedule appointments and request refills without having to call in. In my practice, anyone who calls speaks to a live person but in some practices, navigating their phone trees can be a daunting task. It seems intuitive that all doctors and patients would want to utilize a patient portal. By Linda M. Girgis, MD, FAAFP