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Characteristics of Patients Using a Patient Portal via Mobile Technology

Furniss, Stephanie
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3962-9685
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1492468236459889

Abstract Details

2017, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Allied Medicine.
Background: Many health care providers make an assumption that only certain patients will use online patient portals to access their health information and engage in their own health care. They assume that if patients possess certain characteristics such as being older, less educated or uninsured, they will not have the ability or the means to use a patient portal. They therefore do not offer patient portal access to these patients, contrary to the requirements established by the HITECH Act’s Meaningful Use objectives. This assumption has the potential to negatively impact patients who might otherwise utilize these resources to actively engage in their own health care. Previous research has focused on patients’ age, gender, geographic location, and socioeconomic status and how those characteristics affect whether patients are offered access to an online patient portal and then whether they use the portal. The research is limited, though, because it has not addressed how these patient characteristics impact patient portal access once it is offered, nor does it address usage via mobile technology. Smartphone usage has become ubiquitous. Patients without regular access to a desktop computer may possess a smartphone or tablet, enabling them to access patient portals via mobile applications. This study evaluated the characteristics of patients using a mobile application to access their patient portal. It determined, based on identified characteristics, whether there were differences between patients who accessed the patient portal via desktop computer and patients who accessed the portal via a mobile application. Design and Methods: Data for the study was collected from the electronic health record reporting database of a large academic medical center in the Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area. The target population for the study consisted of all patients 18 years of age or older who were enrolled in the MyChart® patient portal (Epic Systems Corporation, Verona, Wisconsin) from January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2015. Statistical analysis was completed on the identified items of the patient records including demographic and socioeconomic data points using logistical regression analyses. Results: The patients in the 31-45 years of age category were more likely to enroll in MyChart®, use it, and also use it via the mobile application than any of the other age groups even though they only made up about 24% of the sample population. Although, patients in the 65+ years of age category were more likely than 18-30 years olds to be Enrolled and Active, they were about 40% less likely to be Mobile users than those patients aged 18-30 years old. Female patients were more likely to be Enrolled and Active users while males were more likely to be Mobile users than female patients. Employed patients were about 30% more likely to have an account and about 40% more likely to be Active users and Mobile users as compared to those patients who were not employed. Conclusion: As Meaningful Use objectives change over time and the requirements for achieving those standards become more difficult, patient engagement will be more important than ever. The information gathered from this study can be utilized by health care providers to better understand which patients are already more engaged users of the patient portal and which patients they should focus their efforts on with education of how portal usage could help them. Health care providers and their organizations can also use this data to learn where more resources need to be provided to patients who might be considered vulnerable and/or underserved because they have limited access to technology resources.
Laurie Rinehart-Thompson, JD, RHIA, CHP (Advisor)
Jill Clutter, PhD (Committee Member)
Timothy Huerta, PhD, MS (Committee Member)
95 p.
Health Sciences
patient engagement; patient portal; mobile device technology

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Furniss, S. (2017). Characteristics of Patients Using a Patient Portal via Mobile Technology [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1492468236459889

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Furniss, Stephanie. Characteristics of Patients Using a Patient Portal via Mobile Technology. 2017. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1492468236459889.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Furniss, Stephanie. "Characteristics of Patients Using a Patient Portal via Mobile Technology." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1492468236459889

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1492468236459889
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.