Patient Access to Health Information

How to Manage Secure Direct Messages, Patient Portal Inboxes

by Sara Heath

Secure direct messaging and patient portal communication has been a boon for patient-provider relationships, but have forced many clinicians to develop a web of workflow fail-safes to help them...

Strategies for Adolescent Patient Engagement, Teen Autonomy

by Sara Heath

Patient engagement is an essential part of healthcare, no matter the age of the patient. But when it comes to adolescent patients, engagement becomes a balancing act that demands providers weigh both...

Patient Health Data Access Top-of-Mind in ONC Draft Framework

by Sara Heath

Patient health data access is a top priority in the draft version of the Trust Exchange Framework released by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT last week. The Framework establishes...

Do Health Data Security Concerns Influence Patient Data Sharing?

by Sara Heath

Patients need better assurances of PHI and health data security before opting into a health information exchange or other patient data sharing model, according to a study published in the Journal of...

4 Pros and Cons of Digital Patient Health Data Access

by Sara Heath

Patient health data access is a generally accepted patient engagement strategy that helps to empower patients through improved health literacy and integration into the care team. Healthcare providers...

Using Social Determinants of Health in Patient-Centered Care

by Sara Heath

The social determinants of health (SDOH) are becoming increasingly relevant in the healthcare space. As the healthcare industry continues toward patient-centered care, experts are exploring patient...

5 Patient-Centered Strategies to Improve Patient Safety

by Sara Heath

Patient safety is a key aspect of patient-centered care and is tied to the patient experience and health outcomes. However, all too often healthcare professionals view patient safety and...

Balancing Patient Portal Privacy and Access for Pediatric Care

by Sara Heath

Patient portals are an important regulatory requirement, with industry professionals touting their ability to better engage the patient and help all participating parties manage patient health. While pediatric and adult patients tend to...

Top 3 Challenges Limiting Patient Access to Health Data

by Sara Heath

Patient access to health data is an important component of patient engagement because it empowers patients with knowledge about their conditions and incorporates the patient as a partner in...

How Patient Portals Improve Patient Engagement

by Sara Heath

What are patient portals? Patient portals are an online website that is connected to the EHR, centrally focused on patient access to health data. These tools give patients a look into various data points, including lab results,...