A new American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Patient Portal Toolkit for health information management (HIM) professionals highlights trends and provides guidance on the issues, latest regulatory requirements, opportunities and challenges of a patient portal.

“We’re witnessing a profound shift in the level of engagement patients have with their own healthcare,” said AHIMA CEO Lynne Thomas Gordon, MBA, RHIA, CAE, FACHE, FAHIMA, in a release. “When patients have more access to their health information, they can make more informed decisions. Patient portals are a critical component in connecting patients with their health data. With this toolkit, AHIMA provides guidance for the healthcare community on how to provide access while ensuring the information is accurate, private and secure.” 

Major technology trends for patient portal solutions highlighted in the toolkit include:

• The capability to use portals to provide remote healthcare services for non-acute care conditions.
• The ability to personalize the patient portal experience for increased patient engagement.
• Patients’ ability to access their health information on mobile devices.
• Inclusion of patient-generated health data from wearable technology devices.

The toolkit also includes:

• Definitions of the different types of patient portals
• Recommended practices for selection and implementation
• Guidance on workforce and consumer education and training
• A sample registration/enrollment form
• A sample portal user agreement