Portal Access: Can We Make It Easier Than My Commute?
View on LinkedInPortal Access: Can We Make It Easier Than My Commute?
Welcome back to Fun with the CMS/ASTP/ONC RFI!
Today’s Policy: Ensure Patient Access to Remote, High-Assurance Portal Account Provisioning Full Rec: https://lnkd.in/gaUcaVSK Voice: The Over-Scheduled Professional (Trying to Fit Healthcare into a Packed Life)
Alright, let’s talk about patient portals. In theory, they’re fantastic. One place to see my doctor’s notes after a visit, schedule my next appointment, check my latest lab results, or ask a quick follow-up question. For someone juggling a demanding job, travel, and trying to maintain some semblance of a personal life, having that kind of direct, asynchronous access to my healthcare is incredibly valuable.
The catch? Actually getting signed up for the portal in the first place.
My experience, and I know I’m not alone, often involves some version of this: “To activate your portal account, please come into the clinic during business hours with your photo ID.” Business hours that are, naturally, my peak working hours. So, I either have to block out a significant chunk of my day for what should be a five-minute task, or I just… don’t do it. And then I miss out on all those convenient features that would actually save me time and phone calls in the long run. It’s a classic catch-22.
It feels so outdated. I manage complex financial transactions, sign legal documents, and access other sensitive services online, all with strong, secure identity verification. Why does accessing my own health portal – to do things like message my doctor or schedule my physical – require an in-person pilgrimage?
This recommendation about “remote, high-assurance portal account provisioning” sounds like a breath of fresh air. It’s basically saying:
- The companies that make the EHR and portal software need to build a secure way for us to sign up from anywhere, using strong online identity verification (they mention IAL2, which sounds like serious, trustworthy ID checking).
- And then, the doctor’s offices and hospitals should actually offer this secure online signup option to their patients.
For someone like me, this would be huge. It means I could finally get set up on my patient portal during an evening or weekend, prove my identity securely online, and start using those valuable tools – reviewing my care plan, sending a message about a prescription refill, booking that overdue check-up – without disrupting my entire workday.
It’s not just about passively viewing data; it’s about actively engaging with my healthcare team and managing my appointments and follow-ups efficiently. Making the signup process convenient and secure is the first crucial step to unlocking all the other benefits a patient portal can offer. It’s about making digital health tools genuinely accessible for people with demanding schedules.
“Do you have a portal access story?