Background: Patient satisfaction is a key indicator of the quality-of-care health professionals provide and the performance of healthcare organizations. Patient portals are one of many influencing factors of patient satisfaction. Patient portals have been shown to improve patient engagement, empowerment, and self-care, and reduce costs and errors (Kruse et al., 2015). Nationally, only 57% of patients have accessed their portal once in the last 12 months (Strawley & Richwine, 2023). Purpose: The purpose of this Quality Improvement (QI) project is to increase the current portal adoption rate of 72.7% by 20%, in a 12-week time frame, for patients 13 years and older at a Nurse Practitioner led Family Practice Primary Care Clinic. Methods/Intervention: Education on patient portals and their effect on patient satisfaction was provided during two in-services to providers and staff. Evidence-based, informational brochures were created and passed out to all patients not registered for a portal upon check in for their in-person appointments. Poster versions of brochures were placed on the back of each exam room door. Patient satisfaction surveys were already in place at the clinic, sent via text, email, or phone call. Data was collected monthly from September 2023 through January 2024. Patient satisfaction scores and portal adoption rate were measured via percentages and compared pre and post intervention. Results: Prior to September 2023, portal adoption rate was below 70%. After implementation of the intervention, portal adoption rate increased by 4% at the end of December 2023. Patient satisfaction scores prior to implementation of the intervention in September 2023 were 52.1%. Patient satisfaction scores were increased by 30% at the end of December 2023. Conclusions/Implications: Statistical significance was not found due to the lack of raw data, but clinical significance was found. This QI project has proven that for successful portal adoption and use, it is important that staff and patients receive education. The evidence provided by this QI project reveals that portal adoption allows for improved patient satisfaction, communication, and patient empowerment. Although inferences cannot be made regarding the correlation between portal adoption rate and patient satisfaction scores, this relationship will be an area that may be investigated for future study. Keywords: Primary Care, Patient, Physician, Provider, Clinical Team, Communication, Physician-Patient Relations, Satisfaction, Recommend, Experience, Engagement.
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