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Communicating with Vulnerable Patient Populations: A Randomized Intervention to Teach Inpatients to Use the Electronic Patient Portal.
- Source :
-
Applied clinical informatics [Appl Clin Inform] 2018 Oct; Vol. 9 (4), pp. 875-883. Date of Electronic Publication: 2018 Dec 12. - Publication Year :
- 2018
-
Abstract
- Background: Patient portals are expanding as a means to engage patients and have evidence for benefit in the outpatient setting. However, few studies have evaluated their use in the inpatient setting, or with vulnerable patient populations.<br />Objective: This article assesses an intervention to teach hospitalized vulnerable patients to access their discharge summaries using electronic patient portals.<br />Methods: Patients at a safety net hospital were randomly assigned to portal use education or usual care. Surveys assessed perceptions of discharge paperwork and the electronic portal.<br />Results: Of the 202 prescreened eligible patients (e.g., deemed mentally competent, spoke English, and had a telephone), only 43% had working emails. Forty-four percent of participants did not remember receiving or reading discharge paperwork. Patients trained in portal use ( n = 47) or receiving usual care ( n = 23) preferred hospitals with online record access (85 and 83%, respectively), and felt that online access would increase their trust in doctors (85 and 87%) and satisfaction with care (91% each). Those who received training in portal use were more likely to register for the portal (48% vs. 11%; p < 0.01).<br />Conclusion: Patients had positive perceptions of portals, and education increased portal use. Lack of email access is a notable barrier to electronic communication with vulnerable patients.<br />Competing Interests: None declared.<br /> (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1869-0327
- Volume :
- 9
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Applied clinical informatics
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 30541152
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0038-1676333