EHR Incentive Program To Drive Patient Portals

The federal incentive program for adoption of electronic health records is on the verge of driving a growth spike in patient portals, as meaningful use stage 2 requires that physicians engage with their patients and share more information. 

Providers feel a sense of urgency to put in place online tools through which patients can view and download their health information, such as test results and medications. This will help them meet criteria for meaningful use and accountable care models, according to a report released Jan. 2 by researcher KLAS.

Providers seek convenience and ease of integration to implement these tools with their current system, so the relationship with their electronic health record (EHR) vendor is the most important factor in choosing a patient portal, according to KLAS researcher and report author Mark Allphin...