Home Forums Discussions General Discussion Patient Portals

We are in the process of trying to find an interface for our patient portal. I have looked into Microsoft Health Vault, but they are of no help. I was also looking into PracticomPhr which is not any easier. Does anyone use any of these that can guide me in the right direction.

We do not want to use UpDoc due to we already have our faxes coming through our computer system.

Thanks

Relayhealth works well, but AC has not pursued "integration" with them as far as I know. We actually used to use RelayHealth.

You can use Updox without having to use the fax component, it is well integrated with AC, and depending on your labor costs and overhead burden, you get your money's worth out of the patient portal once you have sent ~ 20 patient communications in a month.

I'm in SD part of the month if you would like me to drop by and show you how it works.

So the portal is something we have to have before we can get MU2?
Is that on the list of 81? Where is this list?

Vicki
The answer is yes, for MU2 you must have a patient portal AND, at least 5% of your patients must access their data, your records posted for them. Not sure if it is 5% of unique patients or of patient visits.
I will be having patients look at their data before they leave to office!

But remember, Updox will count as your patient portal. At least I think it does.

I went looking for the survey we did on this board a while back. I can't find it, but the search function only seems to give me results back about 3 years. Bert, I'm pretty sure the term "survey" was in the title. Have we lost older posts?

Final Development Poll
http://amazingcharts.com/ub/ubbthreads.php/topics/28419/Re_Final_Development_Poll#Post28419

What if 5% of patients don't even own computers?
I have used Updox for several years, but the majority of my patients don't even own
or use a computer.

One of the first times that we implemented Updox, this was a concern, and the practice brought up a homeless man that was a patient. They were prepared to walk him through getting a free email account in the office.

Turned out that he already had email. He used Internet kiosks/cafes to keep in touch.

Now, he just needs a mobile device, and the Federal Govt is handing those out.

I gave up on the Updox portal. I tried to use it to notify patients of lab results but at least 1/2 of my messages would come back unread after a week even by those who claim to be tech savvy and regular users of email. I would then have to send them a message the old-fashioned way-through snail mail. I got sick of duplicate work and am just mailing lab results like I have for years.

If you go to the Updox tool section and click analytics you can get a quick number of active patients with a portal and active patients who have logged in. So my numbers are 750 and 597 respectively.

I have had a very postive response overall, and efficiencies have improved from reviewing labs before annual visits, scheduling appts, refills, reveiwing summaries with spouses or family members.

Less phone tag and much better use of my nurses time copying /pasting rather than listening to voice mail, interpreting and typing.

It is not for everybody, but there is a fairly large chunk of my practice that would do unspeakable things to me if I did away with this service.

Our overall response is very positive. One thing you have to remember, patients tend to be not only lazy, but they have been trained to view the phyisicians office as an extension of their personal secretary. So even when you send it, you will then get calls asking about you not contacting them. You have to go through the process and train them. We had a woman in the office just last week who, when we explained about the portal, started whining about just calling and discussing it on the phone. Well, we don't do that, but she can set up an appointment and come in, and pay her deductible. But she can also just read the letter being sent. We explain that we can't use regular email due to HIPAA, and it works just like an email system anyway. Besides, don't you have a smart phone in your hand? Were'nt you just texting in the waiting area? Yes, she got a sheepish look on her face and said ok. Because you can log on and read the messages on your smart phone.

It is worth taking the time and patience to train them. They can really be like 10 yr old who wants to insist that you carry them Everywhere.

I have been trying to find out if Updox is going to be fully integrated into Amazing Charts so that it can be considered for MU portal solution, or if AC will partner with something else. Currently the portal, as a module, must be certified and on the list at the ONC CHPL website in order to be able to count it as a "portal" for Meaningful Use. You can use it for file exchange, messaging and AVS, but not counted as portal unless it is part of the Complete EHR or certified as a Module. ONC website http://oncchpl.force.com/ehrcert

If not, my clients need to use something else. Any suggestions?

Carol, what portals are listed on that site. I tried to find a couple that I knew of (relayhealth, practicom) but they were not listed.

Carol, also you may want to email Updox about this. You can just go to their website and us the "contact us" I believe.