A survey was conducted of patients, physicians, payers, and pharmaceutical companies on the current use and potential of patient portals in electronic health records (EHRs) to improve health outcomes. The survey found that while only 18% of patients currently use patient portals, a greater percentage are interested in features like tracking health progress and accessing medical records and educational materials. Physicians see value in portals for care management but many do not currently offer them, and payers and pharma companies have limited familiarity with or engagement in portals. In conclusion, patient portals are underused given patient interest, and greater coordination is needed across stakeholders to realize their benefits.

1. EHRs and the “Four P’s”

2. A survey of Patients, Physicians, Pharma,
and Payers on the current use and potential
of patient portals in EHRs to improve outcomes

3. Definitions
Electronic Medical Record (EMR)
An EMR contains the standard medical and clinical data gathered in one
provider’s office.
Electronic Health Record (EHR)
EHRs go beyond the data collected in the provider’s office and include a
more comprehensive patient history. EHRs contain and share information
from all providers involved in a patient’s care.
Patient Portal
A patient portal is a secure online website that gives 24-hour access to
personal health information.
Source:HealthIT.gov

4. Acknowledgments – A Cooperative Effort
Patient Survey
HCP Survey
Payer Survey
Pharma Survey

5. Patient perception of patient portals

6. 11,122 Unique
responses
2,002
2,001
2,001
2,001
1,123
3,287
Type II Diabetes
COPD
Rheumatoid
Arthritis
Cancer
65+ (1,293 overlap with
the 5 conditions)
MS
Patient survey statistics

7. Source:Google Health
175 Million health searches daily...

8. But only 18% of
patients surveyed
use patient portals

9. 37%
23%
8%
14%
18%
Usage of patient portals
I never heard of a
patient portal before
I know it is available,
but I don’t use it
My doctor doesn’t
offer one
I have used a
patient portal
I don’t know if
it’s available

10. 89
%
Female
11%
Male
Gender Distribution
across 5 conditions
2%
8%
22%
25% 24%
14%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Age
Average age distribution across 5 conditions
Gender and Age distribution across the 5 conditions

11. Helpfulness of an online portal in engaging
and communicating more with your physician
Interest in using a patient portal to track progress
and provide feedback to your physician
Interest in accessing your own medical records
through a patient portal
32%
30%
29%
*Interest defined asa rating of 4 or 5 on a 5 point scale
Although only 18% use a patient portal, a greater percentage
have interest in accessing and using potential portal features
Engaging with the physician and tracking
personal medical history...

12. Receiving educational materials and patient support...
*Interest defined asa rating of 4 or 5 on a 5 point scale
Value of a total health program built into a patient
portal (diet, exercise, medication, education)
Value of programs to help you manage
and stay on your medications
Value of eCoupons/eVouchers/Co-pay cards
Likelihood to read educational materials
about a disease state within a patient portal
Likelihood to read educational materials
about your medication within the patient portal
33%
30%
30%
34%
34%
Although only 18% use a patient portal, a greater percentage
have interest in accessing and using potential portal features

13. Physician perceptions of patient portals

14. Patient portals—Started slow but coming on strong
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Sending lab tests Sending patient
education/disease
information
%ofPrescriberswithModerateto
FrequentUseofFunctionalityinEHR
Percentage of Prescribers Using
Patient Portal for Key Tasks²
2013 2014
+26%
+50%
²Source: PDR Prescriber Engagement Survey 2013(n=1,215)PDR
Prescriber Engagement Survey 2014(n = 2,977)
¹Source: Multiple PDR Quantitative andQualitative Research with
Prescribers and EMR technologists, 2013
…Since then,
Active Users have Risen Significantly, often
driven by Prescriber Push
PDR estimates¹ that 3-5% of patients were
active users of patient portals
as recently as 2013…

15. 237 Prescribers (MDs, NPs, PAs) were surveyed from a
variety of specialties
16%
13%
10%
8%
8%8%
7%
7%
6%
8%
10%
Internal Medicine
Family Practice
Allergy/Respiratory
Endocrinology
Pediatrics
Cardiology
Rheumatology
Oncology/Hematology
Ophthalmology
Osteopathic
Other

16. 52%
17%
31%
of Prescribers
state that they
offer a patient portal
I offer a patient portal for
patients in my practice
I do not offer a patient
portal but I plan to offer
one in the next 12 months
I do not offer a patient portal
and do not plan to offer one
in the next 12 months

17. A substantial majority of Prescribers see value
in patient support delivered via patient portals
Total health program
(diet, exercise,
medication, etc.)
69%
Health/medication
educational materials
to help manage health
68%
Patient access to their
own medical information
and records
61%
Personalized
recommendations to
improve health behaviors
61%
*Percentage rating services“Moderately,Very orHighly Valuable.”

18. vs.
Value of patient support via patient portals
74%
64%
Health/medication educational materials
to help patients manage their health
74%
52%
Personalized recommendations sent to
patients to improve health behaviors
72%
67%
Total health program (diet, exercise,
medication, adherence,health education
69%
57%
Patient access to their own medical
information and medical records
SpecialtyPrimary care
*Percentage rating services“Moderately,Very orHighly Valuable.”

19. 25%
65%
10%
Do not actively promote
patient portal
Actively promote patient portal
Actively promote patient portal and require that
Patients use it for a least a few tasks
75%
of Prescribers who
offer portals actively promote its
use

20. One-third of Prescribers use
portals for a broad range
of clinical, financial and
administrative activities
...And a majority of Prescribers surveyed
want care or health management messages
from
the patient’s health plan provider.
Something
Else
Simple
Administrative
Activities
Number of
Administrative
Activities and
Financial Activities
24%
31%
30%
15%
Prescribers use portals for administrative, financial and clinical purposes

21. Payers and EHRs

22. Payer survey statistics
9 responses
from medical directors
affiliated with organizations
representing
47 million lives
National
MCO
Regional
MCO
Integrated
Delivery
Network
3 4 2 =++

23. Medical Directors from those managed care organizations surveyed are not familiar
with EHR/patient portal systems
Familiarity with EHR use (on a 1-5 rating):
2.8
(average rating)
Familiarity with patient portal use
2.4
(average rating)
1 2 43 5

24. *Average ratingsbased on a scale of 1 to 5
Although a majority of physicians surveyed say they want care or health management
messages from health plan providers, there is mixed interest from managed care
Would the following be valuable to your members?
Access to medical records
through a patient portal
Personalized health recommendations, reminders,
alerts
Total health program (diet, exercise,
medication, education)
Educational materials
Adherence program
eCoupons/eVouchers/Co-pay cards
1 | | | 53.9
1 | | | 53.1
1 | | | 5
1 | | | 52.8
1 | | | 52.5
1 | | | 52.1
3.1

25. Pharma perceptions of
EHRs and Patient Portals

26. Are you involved in using or researching EHRs or patient portals?
Individual involvementin EHRs
Minimal
Some
Moderate
Significant
Number of responses
(investigating, planning, or implementing)

27. Is your company engaged in EHRs as a marketing channel?
Company engagement
Limited
Moderate
Significant
Complex & Robust
Number of responses

28. Companies engaged with EHRs have dedicated staff
to explore opportunities
✗
✔
“Is there a dedicated role
within your organization
tasked with EHRs?”
7
4

29. 75%
64%
Branded Messaging
83%
55%
Disease Education
(unbranded)
92%
55%
Adherence Messaging
25%
18%
Other
Pharma respondents expect an increase in EHR use in the future
Vs.Intended future EHR use Current EHR usage

30. Pharma concerns and questions
“Will IDNs and
ACOs allow for
such use?”
“Lack of ROI –
how can we show
ROI?”
“Regulatory
approval on more
relevant content”
“Overwhelming number
of platforms that do not
talk to each other”
“Complex subject matter with
much further education needed
for most pharma marketers”

31. Craig Kemp, Innovative Partnerships, Merck Vaccines – one of the leading
pharma EHR experts:
“Health technologies such as EHRs now manage the clinical workflow. Patient
engagement through health technology such as patient portals is rapidly
increasing. Our industry’s services and solutions that help patients access
appropriate therapies and use them correctly can dramatically improve
health outcomes.
Figuring out how to deliver these services and solutions through health
technology is one of the great challenges our industry faces.”

32. Conclusions

33. Patient portals are an underutilized resource for a population hungry for
health information
Physicians, payers, and pharma have similar views on much of what is
valuable to patients – and patients want this information
The barriers appear to be structural – needing someone to lead the charge in
creating value within patient portals
Awareness and use of patient portals is increasing, but has a long way to go.
The benefits and efficiencies to prescribers are obvious
Conclusions

34. Thank You