Abstract
BackgroundCommunicating laboratory test results online has several advantages for patients, such as improving clinical efficiency and accessibility, thereby helping patients to take an active role in managing their health.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the experiences and self-efficacy of patients using an online patient portal that communicates laboratory test results.MethodsWe used the online-administered eHealth Impact Questionnaire to explore patients’ attitudes toward the portal. Patients visiting the portal were asked to complete the questionnaire. The subscale Information and Presentation assessed the usability of the patient portal and the subscale Motivation and Confidence to Act assessed self-efficacy to determine whether patients were motivated to act on the presented information. We used a cutoff score of 65 or greater to determine whether the portal was rated positively.ResultsThe questionnaire was completed by 354 of 13,907 patients who viewed their laboratory results in the patient portal, with a response rate of 2.55%. The mean Information and Presentation score was 67.70 (SD 13.12) and the mean Motivation and Confidence to Act score was 63.59 (SD 16.22). We found a positive, significant correlation between the 2 subscales (r345=.77, P<.001).ConclusionsPatients participating in the study rated the usability of the portal positively. However, the portal only slightly helped patients to take an active role in managing their own health. The low response rate precludes generalization of the results. Future research should examine avenues to further increase patients’ self-efficacy and study whether portal acceptability differs in subgroups. Patient portals conveying laboratory test results in understandable language seem usable and potentially provide a viable way to help patients take a more active role in managing their own health.
Highlights
BackgroundPatient involvement in decision making and delivery of health care is important to patients, health care providers, and policy makers
As users of the patient portal do not interact with other users, we considered this subscale to be irrelevant for this study and did not discuss it further
Patients who received a laboratory request form for a blood test at Saltro and who used the patient portal in the period between September 2018 and February 2019 were digitally approached to complete the eHealth Impact Questionnaire (eHIQ)-Part 2
Summary
BackgroundPatient involvement in decision making and delivery of health care is important to patients, health care providers, and policy makers. Communicating laboratory test results online has several advantages for patients, such as improving clinical efficiency and accessibility, thereby helping patients to take an active role in managing their health. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the experiences and self-efficacy of patients using an online patient portal that communicates laboratory test results. Results: The questionnaire was completed by 354 of 13,907 patients who viewed their laboratory results in the patient portal, with a response rate of 2.55%. Conclusions: Patients participating in the study rated the usability of the portal positively. The portal only slightly helped patients to take an active role in managing their own health. Patient portals conveying laboratory test results in understandable language seem usable and potentially provide a viable way to help patients take a more active role in managing their own health
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