As a healthcare provider, you understand the challenge of balancing high-quality patient care with demanding administrative tasks. But is there a way to lighten the load and improve patient experience at the same time? The answer might lie in the growing popularity of digital health.
With over $1.3 billion people actively using digital health tools in 2024, investing in patient portal development can significantly enhance your practice’s efficiency and outcomes. A well-designed patient portal serves as your digital front door, streamlining everything from appointment scheduling to secure messaging, while reducing the burden on your staff.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the essential features and best practices that will help you create a patient portal that truly serves both your practice and your patients’ needs.
An Example of a Patient Portal – HQSoftware
Benefits of Patient Portals for Healthcare Systems
White-Label vs Custom Patient Portal: How to Choose
Must-Have Features of a Custom Patient Portal
Tech Stack for Setting up a Patient Portal
Development Team Required to Create a Patient Portal
A patient portal is a secure online platform that gives patients 24/7 access to their personal health information and medical records, enabling them to actively participate in managing their healthcare.
Through the portal, patients can schedule appointments, view test results, request prescription refills, communicate directly with doctors, and even pay bills from their homes or on the go. Such portals make healthcare more convenient and transparent, providing patients with the tools to control their lives.
When HQSoftware developed a patient portal for a mid-sized healthcare provider, the primary goal was to enhance patient engagement and streamline administrative tasks. With online bill payment, patients can effortlessly manage their financial responsibilities, reducing paperwork and ensuring timely payments.
The intuitive appointment scheduling tool allows patients to book, reschedule, or cancel appointments at their convenience. Additionally, the secure messaging feature enables direct and confidential communication between hospital and patients, facilitating quick consultations and follow-ups without the need for lengthy phone calls or in-person visits.
After implementation, patient engagement increased by 45% within the first year. This was measured through metrics like the frequency of logins, appointment scheduling, and interaction with medical records. Additionally, patient satisfaction scores rose by 30%, reflecting the portal’s ease of use, the ability to communicate directly with healthcare providers, and the convenience of accessing test results and health information anytime, anywhere.
Furthermore, there was a decrease in no-show rates by 15%, as the portal’s reminder system and easy rescheduling options helped patients manage their appointments better. These improvements helped to optimize the healthcare provider’s operations, which translated into cost savings and better resource allocation.
Managing health records is like managing your online presence. There are different types of “portals” to choose from, each with its own perks. But which one to choose?
Let’s break them down in a simple way, and talk about what works best for a patient and their health information.
Imagine a health notebook that you store online. That’s basically a standalone patient portal. It’s a website or an app, not directly connected to any doctor’s system, where patients can store and manage health information.
This type of portal supports a limited range of functions, typically focusing on a single key feature, such as accessing lab test results or scheduling medical office appointments. The underlying database and file storage are rarely integrated with larger systems, such as advanced hospital management systems (HMS) or electronic health record (EHR) solutions.
Such portals are well-suited for smaller healthcare entities, including private labs, independent pharmacies, health-tech startups, local clinics, and boutique healthcare providers. These portals can be found on websites like WebMD or may be offered by your health insurance provider.
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Business Development Manager
An integrated portal is directly linked to a doctor’s electronic health records. This means the information a patient sees, such as lab results or appointment summaries, is pulled straight from their system, so it’s usually very accurate and up-to-date. Patients can often message a doctor, schedule appointments, and request prescription refills through these portals. It’s like having a direct line to your doctor’s office, making managing your care much more convenient.
This is all about who gets to see your health information. So, we can divide patient portals into the following types:
To sum up, most patient portals will operate under this hybrid model, as it can meet the needs of most users.
Introducing patient portals to your medical practice can bring numerous benefits that will significantly enhance your healthcare services. Here’s how:
Before we delve into the specifics of patient portal development, take a moment to explore our comprehensive healthcare app development services.
Given these advantages, let’s take a look at two ways to develop a successful patient portal.
This is a preliminary decision healthcare providers face when they want to offer a portal to their patients. The choice depends on finding the right balance between immediate needs and future aspirations, while considering budget and time constraints.
Let’s consider the key distinctions between these two main strategies for implementing patient portals.
What it is: A white-label portal is a pre-built software solution that you can purchase and rebrand with your practice’s logo and colors. It’s like buying the suit and then just adding your own label to it. It might not be a perfect fit, but it’s readily available, generally more affordable, and requires less effort on your part.
It is important to note that white-label solutions are almost always SaaS (Software as a Service) solutions, which means you can quickly adopt existing software platforms without the need for extensive development, infrastructure investment, or technical expertise.
Good for: Smaller practices, clinics with standard workflows, or those on a tight budget who need a basic portal solution quickly.
What it is: A custom portal is built from the ground up, tailored to your exact specifications and needs. It’s a perfect fit, reflects your style, and is unique to you. It’s like having a suit made just for you, stitch by stitch.
Good for: Larger practices, hospitals, or organizations with complex workflows, specific integration needs, or those who want a highly customized and branded patient experience.
Choosing between a white-label and a custom patient portal is a significant decision. Take your time, weigh carefully the pros and cons that we’ve compiled in the table below, and choose the solution that best fits your practice’s needs.
| Feature | White-Label Patient Portal | Custom Patient Portal |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Lower initial cost, usually subscription-based (SaaS) | Higher initial investment required. |
| Development time | Quicker deployment and setup | Longer development time due to custom design |
| Customization | Limited, restricted to vendor’s features and design options | Highly customizable, tailored to your exact needs and branding |
| Features | Standard features that cater to basic needs | Tailored features to align with your practice’s unique requirements |
| Scalability | Limited by vendor’s capabilities, may not scale as easily | Highly scalable, can grow and adapt with your practice |
| Vendor dependency | High; switching to a different solution later can be complex | Low; you own the code and have more flexibility |
| Ease of use | User-friendly, with standard interfaces | Can be optimized for specific workflows and user experience |
| Control | Less control over features, development roadmap, and updates | Complete control over design, features, development, and updates |
| Integration | May integrate with some systems, but might have limitations | Seamless integration with existing systems (EHR, billing, etc.) |
Having explored the white-label and custom decision, you might be ready to take the plunge into custom development. If so, it’s crucial to understand the core features that will ensure your custom patient portal delivers maximum value.
Need a custom software solution? We’re ready to help!HQSoftware has a team of skilled professionals ready to tackle the project. Ask me!
Natallia Rudzik
Business Development Manager
Building a patient portal from the ground up, as opposed to relying on off-the-shelf software solutions, allows you to tailor a unique configuration of features and functionalities that perfectly align with your specific business model.
Drawing on our extensive healthcare project experience, here are the core features we think every custom patient portal should include:
This is like giving your patients their own personal health library, available 24/7. They should be able to easily view their lab results, doctor’s notes, immunization records, and other important health information, all in one secure, organized place.
The portal will need to be easy to navigate, and allow patients to easily download or print their records if they need to share them with other providers. Furthermore, the information should be presented in a way that is easy to understand, even for patients with limited health literacy. This access should also be role-based. For example, a parent should be able to see their child’s records.
Appointment management is a crucial feature that streamlines your healthcare scheduling experience. With this functionality, you can easily book, reschedule, or cancel appointments directly through the portal. It saves you time and reduces the hassle of phone calls or emails, providing a convenient way to manage your healthcare visits.
Additionally, it often includes a calendar view and reminders, ensuring that you never miss an important appointment. This seamless scheduling process helps you keep organized and maintain consistency in your healthcare routine.
This feature provides a direct, secure communication line between patients and your practice. Patients can send non-urgent questions to their doctor or nurse, get clarification on instructions, or even share updates on their condition. It’s a convenient and efficient way to communicate, especially for quick questions that don’t require a full office visit.
The portal can also provide quick access to educational information, like FAQs or symptom checkers, to help provide the patient with quick answers to their questions. It’s like having a trusted advisor available at their fingertips. Furthermore, the portal can include a feedback mechanism, allowing patients to rate their experience and provide suggestions for improvement.
Patients should be able to request prescription refills with ease, track their medication history, and even set reminders to take their medications. This is like having a personal pharmacist who helps them manage their prescriptions, ensuring they never miss a refill and stay on track with their treatment plan.
You can even integrate with pharmacies to allow for direct prescription ordering and delivery, making it even more convenient. The portal should also provide information about each medication, including potential side effects and interactions.
This feature extends the reach of your practice beyond the physical office, wherever your patients are. Your custom portal should seamlessly integrate video visits, allowing patients to consult with their doctor from the comfort of their own home. It’s a huge achievement for accessibility, especially for patients who have difficulty traveling or live in remote areas. However, the platform needs to be secure and HIPAA-compliant, ensuring patient privacy during virtual consultations.
Patients should be able to view their bills, understand their charges, and make secure online payments. So, your platform can be kind of a personal finance manager for their healthcare expenses, making the billing process transparent and hassle-free.
You can even offer options for setting up payment plans or applying for financial assistance, making it easier for patients to manage their healthcare costs. The portal should also provide a clear breakdown of insurance coverage and out-of-pocket expenses.
By providing timely updates and reminders, this feature supports patients in achieving their health goals. Your portal should send automated reminders about upcoming appointments, prescription refills, or new lab results. It’s like having a helpful nudge to stay on top of their health, ensuring they don’t miss important updates or deadlines.
You can even customize notifications based on patient preferences, allowing them to choose how and when they receive reminders. The portal can also send out important health alerts, such as flu shot reminders or public health announcements.
Your practice now has integrated health data analysis capabilities. A custom portal can track key metrics like patient engagement, appointment volume, and even the effectiveness of different communication channels.
You can use this data to optimize your services, improve patient satisfaction, and make data-driven decisions to enhance the overall patient experience. This feature is more for the providers than it is for the patient, but by analyzing how patients use the portal, providers can improve the features and information they provide.
Now that we’ve identified the essential features your custom patient portal should include, it’s time to focus on the underlying technology that will support them.
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Dmitry Tihonovich
Business Development Manager
Setting up a patient portal involves selecting a combination of technologies and tools that work together to deliver the desired functionalities. Here’s a table outlining a typical tech stack for creating an effective patient portal:
| Component | Technology/Tool | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Frontend Development | React, Angular, or Vue.js | Frameworks for building dynamic and responsive user interfaces. |
| HTML/CSS | For structuring and styling the web pages. | |
| JavaScript | To add interactivity and enhance user experience. | |
| Backend development | Node.js, Python (Django/Flask), or Java (Spring) | Server-side technologies to handle business logic, data processing, and APIs. |
| RESTful APIs | For communication between frontend and backend services. | |
| Database | PostgreSQL, MySQL, or MongoDB | To store patient data, medical records, appointments, etc. |
| Authentication & security | OAuth 2.0, JWT (JSON Web Tokens) | For secure user authentication and authorization. |
| SSL/TLS | To encrypt data during transmission. | |
| Cloud hosting | AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure | To host the application and manage resources. |
| Telemedicine integration | WebRTC, Zoom, or Doxy.me APIs | For enabling video consultations and telehealth services. |
| Messaging | Twilio, SendGrid, or Mailgun | For secure messaging and email notifications. |
| Notifications | Firebase Cloud Messaging or OneSignal | To send push notifications and alerts to users. |
| Analytics | Google Analytics, Mixpanel, or Amplitude | To track user interactions and gather insights. |
This tech stack provides a comprehensive foundation for building a secure and efficient patient portal.
But while a robust tech stack is essential, the success of your patient portal also depends on a skilled and dedicated development team.
Selecting the right company ensures that your portal is built efficiently. At HQSoftware, we have successfully developed a variety of healthcare solutions, including patient portals. Here’s the ideal team structure you should consider for creating a patient portal app:
Keep in mind that larger projects necessitate more resources, team members, and time. The timeline for project execution typically ranges from three to six months, depending on the technological profile and the size of the team.
Now, let’s move on to the detailed, step-by-step creation process.
Whether it’s enhancing patient engagement, streamlining administrative processes, or improving the overall healthcare experience, having clear objectives will guide the development process.
At HQSoftware, we begin by collaborating with healthcare providers to pinpoint their unique needs and priorities. This ensures that the patient portal we develop aligns perfectly with the strategic goals of the healthcare organization, setting the stage for a successful implementation.
Conducting thorough market research is essential to understand the current landscape and identify potential opportunities and challenges. This involves analyzing existing patient portal software, assessing competitor offerings, and gathering insights from patient and provider feedback.
Our experts immerse themselves in the healthcare environment to uncover the latest trends and technologies. By understanding what works best in the market, we can design a patient portal that meets the expectations of users and ensures it stands out in a competitive landscape.
This involves determining the technological framework, selecting appropriate platforms, and designing a system that can handle the expected load and future growth.
We at HQSoftware focus on creating a flexible architecture that integrates seamlessly with existing healthcare systems. Additionally, to help you with the right choice, we provide consulting software development services. By doing so, we ensure that the patient portal can adapt to evolving technological advancements and healthcare needs.
Creating a user-friendly patient portal is crucial for ensuring accessibility and ease of use for all patients, regardless of their technical expertise. Intuitive navigation, clear instructions, and a visually appealing design can empower patients to actively manage their health information.
Through iterative testing and feedback, HQSoftware’s designers create interfaces that are both aesthetically pleasing and functionally robust, making it simple for patients to access their medical information, schedule appointments, and communicate with their healthcare providers.
Backend development is where the core functionality of the patient portal comes to life. This involves coding the server-side logic, database management, and integration with other healthcare systems.
At HQSoftware, our skilled developers focus on building a secure and efficient backend that supports the portal’s various features while maintaining high performance. We employ best practices in coding and database optimization to ensure that the portal can handle large volumes of data and user requests without compromising on speed or reliability
Developing the core features of the patient portal is a crucial step in delivering a comprehensive solution. These features typically include appointment scheduling, access to medical records, prescription refills, and secure messaging with healthcare providers.
Ensuring security and compliance is non-negotiable when developing a patient portal, given the sensitive nature of healthcare data. At HQSoftware, we adhere to stringent industry standards and regulations, such as HIPAA in the United States, to protect patient information.
We implement robust security measures, including data encryption, secure authentication, and regular security audits, to safeguard against data breaches and unauthorized access. By prioritizing security and compliance, we build trust with users and ensure that the patient portal operates within legal and ethical boundaries.
The final phase involves rigorous testing and deployment of the patient portal. This includes conducting functional, usability, and security testing to identify and resolve any issues before the portal goes live.
So, our team employs a comprehensive testing strategy to ensure that the portal performs optimally under various conditions. Once testing is complete, we work closely with healthcare organizations to deploy the portal, providing training and support to ensure a smooth transition.
Overall, by meticulously overseeing the testing and deployment process, we deliver a reliable and user-friendly patient portal ready to enhance the healthcare experience.
At HQSoftware, we offer a diverse array of development services tailored to meet the unique needs, timelines, and budgets of our clients. Here’s how we can partner with you to build the perfect patient portal:
At HQSoftware, we are committed to delivering patient portals that meet your expectations and drive efficiency in your healthcare organization.
Contact us to learn more about our healthcare development services.
Lead Software Engineer
An experienced developer with a passion for IoT. Having participated in more than 20 Internet of Things projects, shares tips and tricks on connected software development.
An Example of a Patient Portal - HQSoftware
Benefits of Patient Portals for Healthcare Systems
White-Label vs Custom Patient Portal: How to Choose
Must-Have Features of a Custom Patient Portal
Tech Stack for Setting up a Patient Portal
Development Team Required to Create a Patient Portal
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