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The Patient Portal—Help or Hindrance?
We’ve always talked about quick access to all the information we want, when we want it. Gone are the days of ‘snail’ mail and encyclopedias. Now we have Patient Portals! And they are here to stay!
In 2016 the Cures Act went into effect, but the part that pertained to access to patient records wasn’t effective until April 2021. The Dept of Health and Human Services began enforcing the rule which declared that a hospital or doctor must allow access to a person’s health information. Failure to do so could result in fines for the doctor and hospital. Thus, the Patient Portal.
The result is that as soon as you have lab work, x-rays, CT scans, or a diagnostic test, YOU will receive the information (often before the doctor does.). This has led to much confusion and fright for many patients. A test result, read by a patient, out of context, or without a doctor’s explanation, can lead to confusion and anxiety and un-necessary emotional harm. I know this personally, when I received the results of my MRI well before my doctor. Seeing a report that stated “new lesions in areas of the brain,” really freaked me out!
In today’s world of instant gratification with computers, the emotional cost of instant access can be high.
- How have you been able to handle reports on the Patient Portal? What suggestions do you have for other members?
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When I got the appointment with my breast cancer surgeon, she sent a letter out giving her contact info as well as that of her nurse and two nurse practitioners. In the letter, she clearly stated that I would see her on the day of surgery but not after unless absolutely necessary. All of my follow ups have been with her staff.
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1 Reactiongood idea, it cuts a lot of wear and tear on the issues at hand for DOCTORS VISITS....YOU ARE SMART...THANKS>..Margareto
Omg, I am not alone. I went from waking up and 45 minutes out the door. I could hardy get dressed; I was so groggy. Years ago they sent my daughter home right after a hysterectomy and that night she could not urinate. I raced her back, they catharised her and then had the gall to charge her another co-pay FOR THE SAME DAY that they screwed up. I wrote 7 letters to ever CEO and anyone of importance. We got off the hook. This is not good.
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3 Reactions@mikaylar: Yup, happened to me as well. Consultation with surgeon for lumpectomy - maybe 15 minutes in office. Day of surgery (still with COVID protocol, mask on my face at all times) he waltzes in about 40 minutes behind schedule, says “hey”, scribbles something on my right shoulder, and that was it. Post surgery consult a few days later was with a very nice PA, never saw the surgeon again. And - because of numerous delays, recovery rooms were full, so I went from that immediate “waking-up” station/stage straight out the door.
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1 ReactionIt was a 1 day procedure in the hospital and the of the best in Philadelphia, might I add, Penn. It was 2 weeks later that the nurses assistant had a telemed with me to tell me exactly what the doctor did during surgery - 2 freakin weeks!! I saw this surgeon for consultation a month before surgery for 15 minutes and 3 minutes before surgery when she talked to the anesthesiologist. That's it. I assumed the surgery went well or I would have heard before 2 weeks but who knows.
@mikaylar I can imagine that you’re upset that the doctor didn’t speak to you after surgery. Was this surgery in a hospital or outpatient surgery center? You might call back to the hospital/surgery center and ask to speak with the patient representative. Their job is to listen to you, explain hospital protocols, and talk to physician. They are, basically, a go-between.
Were there any complications or problems that you needed to talk to the doctor about?
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5 ReactionsGetting used to this new keyboard is going to be hard.
I think the doctors like portals so they don't have to deal with us verbally. They can answer when they feel like it. My neurologist took over a week to answer in one instance. I just hate everything about trying to get care these days. I just had a surgery. I met the doctor at our consultation for 15 minutes before the surgery, then she looked in for 3 minutes before the surgery and spoke mainly to the anesthesiologist. She never came in after the surgery and I had to wait 2 weeks until the nurse called me to see how I was. I will probably never see or talk to the doctor again. Has anyone else experienced this?
Mikayla
Hi Karen, I'm not surprised by that - portal messages & responses are some of the statistics that can be monitored by management to determine how responsive the personnel are to patient requests. Unless they have a sophisticated system, phone messages are not necessarily input into the portal, and become random slips of paper floating around. Until the latest software upgrade, my practitioner literally had to log onto 3 different systems to collect all the messages - the main portal, the phone message system and the separate e-mail message system. No wonder things can "slip through the cracks." In addition, with staffing issues, not every primary provider has an individual employee monitoring just for them - often it is a pool arrangement with 3-4 providers sharing a group of nurses and aides.
Sue
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5 ReactionsI meant to add, that my hospital seems to get results from tests just about the same time that I do and if anything is amiss I know I will be getting a call that day so I never go long not knowing what something negative might indicate.
JK
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