Patient Portals & Open Notes Increase Referral Access by Up to 40%

Patient Engagement February 27, 2024
Sara Heath

Patients who log into their patient portals are 20% more likely to access a referral, while those who look at the portal and open notes are 40% more likely.

Does patient portal access make a difference in referral access after a primary care appointment? According to one new study in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA), it could.

The study, completed by researchers representing patient advocacy group OpenNotes, also showed that patient access to clinical notes—mandated through the 21st Century Cures Act—also increased the number of closed-loop patient referrals.

Closing the loop on referrals is key to closing care gaps. In a primary care setting, a provider might refer a patient to a specialty provider or a...

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