An exploratory study of patient portal adoption and use in multiple clinical specialty departments

Abstract

A patient portal is an effective vehicle for health information dissemination, a key component of knowledge management. The focus of this exploratory research study was to examine how demographic variables of gender and age as well as clinical specialty grouping affect patient portal adoption and use at a hospital in South Florida. We conducted a semi-structured interview focusing on portal adoption and usage with 768 patients at their scheduled appointments. Results showed that younger participants aged 20 to 30 used the portal significantly less than other age groups in the study. Patients between the ages of 41 and 60 use the portal the most. Findings suggest a need to expand patient portal functionality, portal education and awareness to increase patient portal use. These preliminary findings will support a broader effort investigating patient portal use and barriers such as eHealth literacy skills.