Patient Engagement through Electronic Health Record Portals

Electronic Health Record (EHR) portals have emerged as central tools for empowering individuals to participate actively in their own care. By granting patients secure online access to test results, medication lists and clinical notes, these portals foster transparency, enhance communication and promote self-management. Globally, health systems from Scandinavia to Asia have adopted portal technologies to streamline appointment scheduling, enable prescription renewals and support remote monitoring. Studies indicate that engaged patients report greater satisfaction, improved adherence to treatment regimens and reduced hospital admissions. However, barriers such as digital literacy gaps, socio-economic disparities and clinician workload concerns continue to impede universal uptake. Innovations such as generative artificial intelligence for summarising narrative reports, tailored educational modules and integration with wearable devices promise to broaden accessibility and tailor functionality to individual needs. Real-world implementations illustrate how portal use can bridge geographical divides, support shared decision-making and reinforce preventive care strategies.

Research from Nature Portfolio

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Patient Engagement through Electronic Health Record Portals publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in patient engagement through electronic health record portals across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Electronic Health Record portal: A secure online interface tethered to a healthcare provider’s electronic health record, allowing patients to view and interact with their personal clinical information.

Patient engagement: The process by which individuals become active participants in their healthcare through knowledge, skills and confidence to manage health and healthcare decisions.

Open notes: The practice of sharing clinicians’ narrative visit notes with patients via online portals to promote transparency and understanding.

Health literacy: An individual’s capacity to obtain, process and comprehend basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.

Secure messaging: Encrypted electronic communication between patients and healthcare providers within a portal, ensuring confidentiality and integrity of health information.

References

1. Generative Language Models and Open Notes: Exploring the Promise and Limitations. JMIR Medical Education (2024).
2. Socioeconomic and demographic patterning of family uptake of a paediatric electronic patient portal innovation. PLOS Digital Health (2024).
3. Patient Portal Use Among Older Adults With Dementia Diagnosis. JAMA Internal Medicine (2023).