Why should every practice have an online patient portal?

Online patient portals have a number of advantages that make them indispensable to medical practitioners. Already, online portals are gaining popularity in many areas of Dubai. Listed below are only some of the advantages of having an online medical portal:

• Online portals can increase the number of patients in the chamber

When patients make their appointments through online portals, they are free to choose the time slot according to their preferences. Also, these portals ensure that the patient is reminded of the appointment well in advance. This results in fewer no-shows at the doctor’s office.

The patients do not have to wait long hours on the phone to obtain an appointment with a physician. The medical portals enable individuals to review their schedules and book appointments only with the click of a mouse.

• Online portals encourage patients to be more involved in their healthcare

With these medical portals, patients are able to access their medical information readily and do not have to go through heaps and piles of prescriptions and reports. They can stay informed about the status of their health at all times. This also helps patients to take care of their own health and pay attention to problematic areas in their health regime.

• Online portals make it easier for administrative staff to complete their daily tasks

In the medical field, administrative tasks are aplenty. These tasks can be cumbersome, leaving enough room for mistakes and errors. Since the online portals allow patients to make appointments on their own and request refills as well, the staff members can leave these tasks to the portal and concentrate on other, more pressing matters.

• Online portals improve the connection between doctors and patients

Since doctors are extremely overworked, they are seldom able to give a sufficient amount of time to each individual patient. That is why some patients may feel dissatisfied with the care they receive from the doctors.

Portals allow patients to contact doctors regarding small concerns through emails or instant messages. This also saves the patient’s cost of travelling all the way to a doctor’s office and waiting their turn. With improved contact, the patients are likely to feel more satisfied with their treatment.