Source: Patient Engagement H
Black and Hispanic patients are being offered patient portal access at a rate that’s 5 percentage points lower than White people, translating to lower patient portal adoption and access, according to figures from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT. Despite promises to revolutionize patient engagement and self-management, patient portal use leaves a lot on the table. According to separate ONC data, nearly every hospital offered patient portal access in 2020, but only about 40 percent of patients accessed their own health records through the patient portal. The reasons for low patient portal use and adoption may be varied, with access to broadband, digital health literacy, and other elements of the digital divide likely at play.