- Patient portal
Patient Portals are
healthcare -related online applications that allowpatient s to interact and communicate with their healthcare providers, such asphysician s andhospital s. Typically, portal services are available on the Internet at all hours of the day. Some patient portal applications exist as stand-aloneweb site s and sell their services to healthcare providers, while other portal applications are implemented into the existing web site of the healthcare provider. Examples of patient portal companies include Care Converge [http://www.careconverge.com/healthcare/patientportal.htm] , Geonetric [http://www.geonetric.com] , MEDSEEK [http://www.medseek.com] , OptumHealth [http://www.OptumHealth.com] , CareTech Solutions [http://www.caretechsolutions.com] ,Sophrona Solutions [http://www.sophrona.com] , Avancecare [http://www.avancecare.com/patientportal.asp] and Cerner Powerworks. [http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_13/b3926998_mz001.htm] ,Benefits and Features of Patient Portals
Patient portals benefit both patients and healthcare providers by increasing efficiency and productivity. Patient portal applications might allow patients to register and complete forms online, which can streamline and shorten visits to clinics and hospitals. Many portal applications also allow patients to request prescription refills online, order eyeglasses and contacts, access
medical record s, pay bills, and schedule appointments. Patient portals also typically allow patients to directly communicate with healthcare providers by asking questions and leaving comments. [http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_13/b3926998_mz001.htm]Practice Portals
Portal applications for practices typically exist in tandem with patient portals, allowing access to patient information and records, as well as schedules, payments, and messages from patients. [http://practiceportals.com/]
Security
Most patient and practice portals are secure and compliant with HIPAA regulations, and all patient access is typically validated with a user name and password. [http://cms.hhs.gov/EducationMaterials/Downloads/HIPAAChecklist.pdf]
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