Top 10 Features to Consider Before Choosing the Patient Portal

According to a survey, the patient portal market in the US is projected to reach $6.56 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.80% by 2030. The healthcare sector is switching to digital healthcare post-pandemic. Integrating patient portal software into the EHR system will ease the process.

It automates the medical billing, which enhances the practice’s growth and improves patient care. In this blog, you will know the importance of a patient portal, and must have features in the patient portal to help improve patient engagement.

What is the Patient Portal?

A patient portal is a secure application providing patients with 24/7 access to their medical information from any location with an internet connection. 

Patients can interact with healthcare professionals, arrange appointments, communicate with providers, and request medication refills.

These portals are linked with EHRs that encompass the patient’s medical history, existing health issues, lab results, reports, medical images, prescriptions, and past hospital visits.

Top 10 Best Patient Portal Features

1. Secure Communication Channels

Patient Portal has secure messaging access, which is an important feature for secure communication. Patients can easily and securely communicate with their healthcare providers, asking questions and discussing their health concerns. 

EHR-integrated patient portals help in an efficient way to transfer data between patients and providers.

2. Instant Access to Health Information

Patient Portal provides easy access to the personal health information of patients. Patients have a unique name and password as login credentials.

Using the login credentials, patients can log in to the portal. Providers will share patient health information directly from EHR to portals.

It includes health information like doctor visits, medications, and lab results. This helps them to take an active part in their health and stay updated about their health conditions.

Related: How Patient Portals Enhance Access to Your Health Records

3. Appointment Scheduling 

Online Appointment Scheduling enables patients to book their appointments regardless of their location based on their time preferences. Patients can schedule, reschedule, or cancel their appointments online without needing to visit the facility.

Through the patient portal software, patients can book their appointments with their healthcare provider at a convenient time and date.  

This enhances the patient’s regular check-ups and improves patient outcomes. 

4. Appointment Reminders

Patient Portal automatically sends reminders via SMS, email for appointments. This feature reduces the time of administrative staff on making calls to patients to remind them about their appointments.

This reduces no-show time or helps in rescheduling appointments if necessary. 

5. Payment Options

73% of consumers prefer to pay medical bills through online payment options. Some patient portals allow healthcare consumers to pay their medical bills or view their bills.

Vozo offers a wide range of payment options through patient portal software. These features include insurance support, online payments, payment history, and billing queries.

This allows healthcare providers to check for uncashed payments. It helps to check and manage patient collections.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Optimizing Patient Portals for Increasing Payment Collection

6. Medication Refills

Adding patient prescriptions to a patient portal adds significant utility to patients and healthcare professionals. Patients gain a clear view of their active and historical medications, dosage, and frequency.

The capacity to order refills online through the portal adds convenience and productivity, which could decrease medication gaps resulting from expired prescriptions.

The portal facilitates a faster refill authorization, which takes up much less time than manual over-the-phone or in-office refill requests.

Patients who have mobility issues or elderly patients who cannot travel regularly can simply request medication refills.

7. Integration with EHR

Integrating telehealth and patient portals with EHR helps to update patient medical records automatically. It provides patient engagement solutions with the default EHR system, also adding an API that connects with third-party solutions and wearable devices such as blood pressure monitors, fitness trackers.

EHR-integrated patient portals support patients by providing health information 24/7, which increases accuracy for healthcare providers.

Related: How Patient Portals Bridge the Gap Between EHRs and Third-Party Systems

8. Educational Materials

Portals provide patients with instant access to educational resources and information related to their health conditions and treatments.

Diagnosis and treatment plans can be difficult for patients to understand and remember. Patients can receive content according to their conditions and delivered directly to their accounts.

9. Easy Sign up

Patient portals linked with EHR feature automated systems that allow patients to register, facilitating easier access for them.

It streamlines the onboarding process by offering detailed instructions for registration, minimizing the requirement for administrative personnel to personally assist patients at every stage.

Patients can take charge of their medical care by scheduling appointments, checking lab results, or asking for prescription refills, tasks that typically need administrative effort.

10. Security Compliance

Patient portals have security measures such as strong data protection, encryption, access control measures, audit trails, and multi-factor authentication.

HIPAA-compliant patient portals ensure that they follow the security standards and regulations. Audit trails are made to determine who accessed the portal, the action taken, and other details.

EHR allows integration with patient portals for hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare-related practices. According to the increase in healthcare growth, software is designed as mobile-friendly patient portals.

Related: The Must-Have Security Measures to Consider While Developing a Patient Portal

Vozo Patient Portal Solution

VOZO patient portal software provides a comprehensive solution to help healthcare providers achieve clinical, financial, and operational excellence through a powerful patient portal.

Our exceptional Patient Portal Software will allow:

• Have complete access to patients’ medical records digitally
• Our cost-effective subscription plan helps healthcare practices at all levels.
• The Vozo patient portal can effortlessly be integrated and implemented with any EHR system to increase productivity.
• Vozo’s Patient Portal respects users’ privacy and safeguards health-related records and personal information.
• 24/7 availability to support you with your needs and requirements.
• By understanding your unique needs for your specialty healthcare practice, we will customize Vozo’s patient portal for a seamless workflow.

Patients can request appointments, access health records and lab results, and even pay bills online with the help of a patient portal, which creates a personal touch with you always.

Leverage the Vozo Patient Portal for Better Healthcare Solutions.