Safety-net clinics that have decided to implement a patient portal will need to thoroughly assess and plan for the process. Comprehensive planning includes identifying a portal team and champion, developing a rollout strategy, setting goals, and establishing metrics for success. The more carefully this advance work is done, the more the resulting system will benefit patients. The following resources and tools will support a clinic’s assessment and planning process.

To read details on the experiences of the early adopter clinics and hear lessons from the field, see Patient Portals in the Safety Net, Phase 1: Assessment and Planning (PDF).

Tools and Resources

• Patient Portals, Part A: Patient-Centered Health Information Technology (PDF)
  Slide presentation on the driving forces behind the EHR and the patient portal. Includes screen shots of patient portal examples. (Seth Emont)
• Patient Portals, Part B: Measuring the Impact of Patient Portals (PDF)
  Slide presentation on what the current published literature tells us about measuring the impact of patient portals at both the patient and organizational level. Includes portal value calculation and meaningful use examples. (Seth Emont)
• Patient Portals, Part C: Assessing Implementation in Safety-Net Clinics (PDF)
  Slide presentation on sample portal adoption logic models and examples of implementation and impact evaluation measures. (Seth Emont)
• At the Quality Crossroads: Integrating Electronic Health Records and Patient Portals (PDF)
  Presentation on the rationale for an EHR, personal health record, and patient portal. (Paul Tang)
• Measuring the Impact of Patient Portals: What the Literature Tells Us (PDF)
  Comprehensive review of published methods to measure the impact of patient portals. (Seth Emont)
• MedlinePlus Connect Overview
  This overview provides basic information on this health education site for patients. It is a free service and has already been successfully integrated with several of the most prevalent patient portal products. (National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health)
• Frequently Asked Questions About the Patient Portal (PDF)
  Informational brochure (National Learning Consortium – HealthIT.gov)
• Using Patient Portals in Ambulatory Care Settings (PDF)
  Informational brochure (National Learning Consortium – HealthIT.gov)