Home Forums Discussions General Discussion Patient Health Records

I would like to know if any of the users of this forum have had experience with Microsoft Healthvault. It seems that in the future patient portals will be mandatory.

Looking this over, I am not sure it qualifies as a portal.

In that case, what patient portals are other practices using? (Microsoft Healthvault is listed in the category of patient health records for interfaces with AC.) Updox advertises a patient portal feature.

I know of several practices that use Updox. For a base cost of $35 a month, the portal is included with no additional charge. You get your money's worth with all of the other capabilities, you can take or leave the portal.

Ted,

Updox--I use for the portal and all my e-faxing. It would likely be cheaper if I did my e-faxing otherwise, but am so pleased with the product, especially the portal, I would rather give them the $. I usually have about 2000-2500 faxes per month so Updox runs me about 65-75 dollars a month.
I have found the portal to be a bit labor intensive at first, but has cut down the phone traffic and voice mails immensely, and has made my nurse much more efficient. The immediate feedback with summaries, xray, and lab reports has saved postage costs as well.

One thing to be aware of, AC treats PHR/portals diffently form some other programs, and allows them different capabilities. So if you look and see what PHRs AC is integrated with, Updox is not on the list. Practicom (which has been taken over by another company I believe) and Microsoft were the only two on the list the last time I checked.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't use Updox. I use Updox and like it very much. It's quick and easy to use, relatively inexpensive, and has some convenient capabilities. Though of course they aren't perfect.

For example, on the PHRs AC allows them to automatically upload lab results once you sign off on them (at least Practicom said they could with AC. I didn't contract with them.) AC does not allow Updox to do that.

Other than 'future compliance' with Medicare regs and avoiding penalties and chasing MU money what advantage to patient portals do you all find from using them?

Koby,
One other aspect that is quite helpful is to send the labs to the portal before the appt so that the patient has time to look at them and ruminate before coming in.

One thing I like about Updox is the ability to store patient's credit cards. They have a PCI compliant system. We now require all patients to provide a credit card to be charged for outstanding balances when the EOBs come in, and for no-show fees. Has really lowered our accounts receivables, and bought to nearly a dead stop any growth in accounts receivables.

We have a small number of self pay and Medicaid patients. Some of these may not have credit cards. Do you not see patients who do not have credit cards?

not really. In our area of NYC, everone has a credit or debit card. We don't see Medicaid. As far as not having a card, we have only encountered ....hmm.. i can count the patients on one hand. Now, some just refuse, but they have them. We've only had about a dozen or so refuse since Aug 1 when we began. Now, some may "frown" but they don't refuse. I've noticed that those that refuse fall into a couple of specific categories. Before I list this, be aware that I am African-American.

1) Work for a health insurance company (we actually see a bit of this in NYC)
2) Patient is African-American.
3) Patient's health insurance has a dedutible and/or co-insurance.

Now, most of our patients with dedcutibles/co-insurance accept the credit card on file with no issue. But when someone refuses, check to see if they have a deductible. there are a lot of deadbeats out there, but I'm sure you know that by now. Because they stiffed you. That's why we were happy to start this policy.