Half of Parents Balk at Pediatric Patient Portals, Poll Says

Nearly one-third of parents who did not have a patient portal for their child say they do not see the need.

Fewer than half (43%) of 2,095 parents in a new national poll say they've used an online patient portal to access their child's healthcare provider.

The findings from the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health suggest that parents are not optimizing portal use.

"Patient portals offer a wide range of benefits, including decreasing unnecessary hassles for providers and patients and improving access to both the medical staff and a child's medical information," Mott Poll co-director Sarah Clark, MPH, says in a media release.

"Given all the conveniences portals offer, it's surprising that over half of parents have not set one up for their child, most commonly because they don't see a need for it. This report suggests many parents may not be aware of all the potential benefits of using a patient portal for children."

Nearly one-third of parents who did not have a patient portal for their child say they do not see the need, a quarter say they don't know how to access it, and 20% say they prefer other ways to communicate. 

Few parents cite privacy concerns or technical problems, but some don't know if their provider offers a portal option.

Parents who use a portal enjoy the benefits. One-third say they've received advice about their child's illness, injury or symptoms through the platform. Nearly all of these parents say they got the level of guidance they anticipated within a reasonable amount of time and usually from the person they expected.

The majority of portal users have tapped it to make appointments, view tests, complete forms, get prescription refills, request immunization records or get referrals.

"Our poll suggests that pediatric health providers should continue efforts to inform families about the benefits of patient portals, and parents who haven't set one up should take steps to learn more about portal advantages and how to establish one for their child," Clark says.

Some providers have expressed concerns about parents' unrealistic expectations for portal queries, especially for urgent care. Clark says providers can help manage those expectations, and that parents who get instructions from their provider on how to use portals are more enthusiastic.

More than third of parents who did not receive portal training guidance also had the lowest satisfaction ratings on communication with their child's provider.

"Instructions from the practice on how to optimize portal benefits appear to be the key to helping parents use it effectively and appropriately and increase families' satisfaction with the experience," Clark said.