Implementing an oncology-specific health care IT portal to enhance patient-provider communication.

Abstract

31 Background: Our large network of oncology practices (PRs) launched a health IT (HIT) patient portal (PP) to improve patient (PT) access to clinical information (CI) and serve as a platform to enhance PR-to-PT communication (C). Methods: A team of HIT specialists and oncologists engaged in development of the PP to develop a platform to facilitate PR-to-PT C, satisfy meaningful use (MU) requirements, and have brand identification (ID) for PRs. Workflow planning for implementation was conducted including ID and education of key participants at PRs. Educational signage was posted at PRs during initiation partnered with information at check-in at clinic visits to inform PTs about PP benefits and registration steps. After consent was obtained, pts were invited by email to the PP and could access their PP and view and download their secure CI. A review of support calls from both PR personnel and pts highlighted opportunities for enhanced PP engagement. Enrollment (E) was captured monthly. Results: From April 2012 to June 2013 more than 34,000 pts have enrolled in the PP across over 47 PRs (Table). In addition, inclusion of the PR brand and removing extraneous data capture during E are critical to success. Comparing E data from April 2012 to April 2013 after increased PR brand ID and reduction of pt validation changes were implemented, there was an increase of 13% of opened Is and 22% increase in Es. Conclusions: By engaging a development team, and strategically planning content dissemination and education around initiation, implementation of the PP was widely utilized throughout the PRs. By monitoring adoption rates and capturing the PT feedback, incremental enhancements can positively affect PT engagement with PRs. This functional mechanism can now serve as a platform to facilitate C between PRs and PTs, fulfill MU requirements, and plan future dissemination of educational content. [Table: see text]