The future of digital health portals (May 2024)

Summary

The use of digital health portals, including websites, apps and online consultations, has expanded. The pandemic and increasing public acceptance of digital tools has driven this change. However, this has also led to inconsistency in definitions, language and terminologies used within them, and there is also a significant variation in their functionality. This research by the Professional Record Standards Body (PSRB) and the Patient Information Forum (PIF) aimed to understand the current use of portals and the barriers to increasing engagement for people with long-term conditions to manage their own care better using existing tools and new innovations in the future.

Content

Key findings and recommendations

• User feedback is generally positive about digital health portals. However, there are some barriers to access and use of such portals, including lack of public awareness, lack of proper integration in care pathways, and digital inclusion.
• Evidence showing the effectiveness of portals in the UK is lacking. However, UK commissioners and suppliers are beginning to see efficiency benefits from appointment portals. These include reducing missed appointments and the cost of printing and postage.
• Clinicians do not see the benefits of portals. Work plans are not adjusted to accommodate the split of face-to-face and digital work. Digital work is perceived as extra workload rather than a change in model.