No proof that messaging portals improve outcomes
A literature review found little to no evidence that secure messaging portals in EHR systems improve outcomes or reduce costs. The review was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine and funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The review included 21 observational studies; 14 randomized controlled trials; six qualitative studies; and five quantitative, descriptive studies.
The review found that portal use was linked with improved outcomes for patients with chronic diseases, but the improvements also were associated with portals used in case management. As a result, the researchers were unable to identify whether the portals were responsible for the improved outcomes.
"Preliminary evidence suggests that, like many health IT tools, enhanced outcomes are realized when [portals] are implemented as elements of more comprehensive programs that link the tool with other approaches," the authors wrote. It is "unlikely that patient portals will have substantial effects on utilization or efficiency, at least in the near term," they concluded.
Editor
Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.