Skip Navigation
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Use this QR code to view the newest version of this document
Use this QR code to view the newest version of this document

Your Environment. Your Health.

Publication Detail

Title: Patient Portal Usage and Outcomes Among Adult Patients with Uncontrolled Asthma.

Authors: Apter, Andrea J; Bryant-Stephens, Tyra; Perez, Luzmercy; Morales, Knashawn H; Howell, John T; Mullen, Alyssa N; Han, Xiaoyan; Canales, Maryori; Rogers, Marisa; Klusaritz, Heather; Localio, A Russell

Published In J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract, (2020 Mar)

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Patient-clinician communication, essential for favorable asthma outcomes, increasingly relies on information technology including the electronic heath record-based patient portal. For patients with chronic disease living in low-income neighborhoods, the benefits of portal communication remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: To describe portal activities and association with 12-month outcomes among low-income patients with asthma formally trained in portal use. METHODS: In a longitudinal observational study within a randomized controlled trial, 301 adults with uncontrolled asthma were taught 7 portal tasks: reviewing upcoming appointments, scheduling appointments, reviewing medications, locating laboratory results, locating immunization records, requesting refills, and messaging. Half the patients were randomized to receive up to 4 home visits by community health workers. Patients' portal use by activities, rate of usage over time, frequency of appointments with asthma physicians, and asthma control and quality of life were assessed over time and estimated as of 12 months from randomization. RESULTS: Fewer than 60% of patients used the portal independently. Among users, more than half used less than 1 episode per calendar quarter. The most frequent activities were reading messages and viewing laboratory results and least sending messages and making appointments. Higher rates of portal use were not associated with keeping regular appointments during follow-up, better asthma control, or higher quality of life at 12-month postintervention. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with uncontrolled asthma used the portal irregularly if at all, despite in-person training. Usage was not associated with regular appointments or with clinical outcomes. Patient portals need modification to accommodate low-income patients with uncontrolled asthma.

PubMed ID: 31622684 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: Adult; Appointments and Schedules; Asthma*/epidemiology; Asthma*/therapy; Communication; Humans; Patient Portals*; Quality of Life

Back
to Top