JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Patient portals, or secure websites linked to electronic medical records, have emerged as tools to provide patients with timely access to their health information. To support the potential benefits of patient portals such as improved engagement in healthcare, it is essential to understand how patients and caregivers experience these portals.

Objective:

This study aimed to explore patient and caregiver experiences, facilitators and barriers to accessing and using a patient portal called MyChart during the initial stages of its implementation.

Methods:

We applied an explanatory sequential mixed methods to conduct an online questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with MyChart users and non-users at a large community hospital in Ontario, Canada. Among users, we explored user satisfaction with MyChart, its impact on care, and areas for improvement. For non-users, we explored barriers to MyChart access and willingness to use it in the future. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used for data analysis.

Results:

A total of 5,651 patients and caregivers completed the online questionnaire and 18 (12 users, 6 non-users) participated in interviews. MyChart users primarily learned about the portal through email (n= 1288, 39%), after-visit summaries (n= 953, 29%), and hospital staff (n= 408, 12%). Non-users cited lack of awareness (n= 1291, 59%) and registration difficulties (n= 707, 32%) as some barriers to activation and adoption, but the majority would consider activating and using MyChart if they could learn more about it (n= 1126, 54%). Users valued MyChart for preparing for healthcare encounters but expressed dissatisfaction with limited features and access to medical history and test results, whereas non-users tended to be unsure about the benefits of using MyChart, especially if they were infrequent healthcare users.

Conclusions:

Patient portals offer benefits, but barriers to access and limited functionality can hinder widespread use. To enhance adoption and potential benefits of patient portals, targeted outreach and comprehensive access to health information are essential to promote positive and seamlessly integrated healthcare experiences.