After rolling out the patient portal, community health centers need to continue to nurture how the system works within larger clinic operations. Optimization includes adding advanced capabilities, along with initiating efforts to increase the number of enrolled patients and the frequency with which they use the portal. Soliciting feedback from both patients and providers, and incorporating that feedback into portal processes, will ensure the long-term success of the patient portal.

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 3: Optimization (PDF).

Tools and Resources

• An Interactive Preventive Care Record: A Handbook for Using Patient-Centered Personal Health Records to Promote Prevention (PDF)
  Provides practical steps for selection, implementation, and maintenance of IPHRs as components of electronic health records. This guidebook gives targeted advice for practice leaders, informatics staff, and practice personnel and discusses how to work as a team to fully use IPHRs. (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [AHRQ])
• eHealth Equity (PDF)
  Slide presentation on the disparities of access and use of internet-based health applications. Includes a suggested strategic planning approach to “meaningful access.” (Kieschnick, Internet Services Group, Kaiser Permanente)
• Creating Patient and Family Advisory Councils (PDF)
  General guide with a planning checklist for starting patient advisory councils. (Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care)
• Patient Satisfaction Survey Example (PDF)
  This patient portal online survey for patients was developed with the staff at the Shasta Community Health Center. (Seth Emont and Charles Kitzman)
• Clinician and Staff Satisfaction Survey Example (PDF)
  This patient portal online survey for providers and staff was developed with staff at each of the patient portal initiative grant sites. (Seth Emont)
• Patient Portals: Considerations for Minors (PDF)
  Basic overview of legal (California law) and operational issues associated with young people using a patient portal. (Deven McGraw)
• Marketing a Patient-Provider Website in Community Health Clinics (PDF)
  A complete marketing plan for the deployment and sustainment of a patient portal. (CHCF)
• Patient Portals Marketing Templates (PDF)
  This collection of 14 templates provide promotional examples of posters, presentation slides, and flyers in both English and Spanish. Permission is granted to adapt, revise, and use all materials as needed. (CHCF)