Exploring the Increase in Online Patient Portal Usage Among Individuals with Depression and Anxiety from 2017 to 2020

A study published in 2022 in Psychiatry Research Communications looked at how people with depression and anxiety used online patient portals from 2017 to 2020. The study included 3,194 people who said they had these conditions. The data came from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), which gave useful information about how these people used portals.

The study found that portal use grew from 36.3% in 2017 to 50.4% in 2020. This means about half of these patients were using online portals by 2020. Still, less than half (47.2%) said they had used their portal at all during the entire time studied.

This steady growth shows that more people with mental health problems are using digital health tools. Using these tools can help patients talk to their doctors better, manage medicine more carefully, and get test results or plan appointments more easily. These things are very important for people with depression and anxiety.

Sociodemographic Factors Influencing Patient Portal Use

The study found that certain social and demographic factors affected how much people with depression and anxiety used patient portals. These include:

• Gender: Use was different between males and females, though the study did not say which group used portals more. This shows that gender may affect how people use online health tools.
• Age: Younger people used portals more than older adults. This matches usual patterns seen with technology use.
• Income: People with higher incomes used portals more. They might have better internet access and devices.
• Race and Ethnicity: There were differences between racial and ethnic groups. Minority groups may face more difficulty in accessing or using these portals.
• Education Level: People with more education used portals more. This suggests that being comfortable with technology and health information is important.

Knowing these factors can help medical offices reach out to groups that use portals less. This is very important in mental health care, where understanding and trust of online tools can be different among groups.

Barriers to Online Patient Portal Adoption

Even though more people are interested in online patient portals, some problems still keep many from using them:

• Personal Preferences: Some patients want to use older ways of talking with their doctors and don’t see why they need a portal.
• Privacy Concerns: Many worry about their data being safe and private.
• Operational Issues: Problems using the portal, logging in, or lack of technical help can stop people from using it.

These problems mean that healthcare providers need to make portals easy to use, safe, and provide patients with clear information to help them feel okay about using these tools.

Use of Patient Portals Among Veterans with Depression: A Comparison

Another study looked at veterans with depression and how they used the Veterans Health Administration’s My HealtheVet (MHV) portal. It found that veterans with worse depression symptoms were more likely to sign up and use the portal actively. They used features like looking at appointments, refilling prescriptions, sending secure messages, and downloading medical records more than veterans with milder symptoms.

However, some groups used the portal less. Older and male veterans signed up less often. African American veterans used some portal features less. These results are similar to the general findings in people with depression and anxiety. This shows the need to create strategies that consider differences within groups like veterans.

Implications for Mental Health Care Delivery

For medical offices, increasing portal use can help in many ways:

• Better Patient Engagement: Patients can see their health records and plans, and talk to doctors more easily. This often helps people manage their treatment better.
• More Effective Communication: Secure messaging lets patients and doctors talk quickly without needing phone calls or visits.
• Greater Convenience: Patients can check test results or refill medicines any time instead of during office hours.

Still, since some groups use portals less, medical offices need to try different ways to serve older adults, low-income patients, and minority groups fairly.

Integrating AI and Workflow Automation to Support Portal Adoption

AI for Improving Patient Communication

Artificial intelligence (AI) can help with tasks like scheduling appointments, reminding patients, and answering common questions about portals. For patients with depression and anxiety, AI tools like phone systems and virtual helpers can give timely information. This can lower missed appointments and make patients use portals more.

Some companies use AI to help with front-office tasks and routine patient calls. These tools make it easier for patients to access portal services, especially for people who find digital technology hard at first.

Workflow Automation Enhancing Operational Efficiency

Workflow automation can make healthcare work smoother. For example, automated alerts can tell patients when they have new test results or messages in their portal. Software can also watch who is using the portal and who needs help, so staff can assist those patients.

Using AI and automation also helps reduce work for medical staff. This lets them spend more time on patient care, which improves clinic work overall.

Data Analytics and Predictive Models

AI can look at data to find groups who use portals less. It can also predict who might start or stop using portals. This information helps medical offices plan ways to fix problems like privacy worries, technical issues, or personal hesitations.

Practical Recommendations for Healthcare Administrators and IT Managers

To increase portal use among people with depression and anxiety, healthcare leaders can:

• Train Frontline Staff: Make sure staff know about portal features and can teach patients well during visits or calls.
• Implement AI-Powered Automation: Use smart phone systems and chatbots to handle patient questions and help them sign up for portals.
• Address Privacy Concerns: Make privacy policies clear and reassure patients about data safety.
• Simplify Portal Design: Work with IT teams to create portals that are easy to use, accessible, and work well on phones.
• Targeted Outreach: Focus on groups that use portals less, like older people, low-income groups, and some racial or ethnic minorities.
• Monitor Usage and Barriers: Use data tools to keep track of who is using portals and notice any new problems to fix quickly.

The Importance of Equitable Digital Health Access

The rise in online patient portal use by people with depression and anxiety is a step forward for mental health care technology. But differences between groups still exist. Healthcare providers must work to make sure all patients have fair access to digital tools.

As U.S. practices use AI and better portals more, they should also focus on including all patients and helping those who need extra support. This combined work will help technology improve care for depression and anxiety and lead to better health results and patient satisfaction.

Understanding trends, barriers, and how AI helps communication can help medical leaders make better decisions. Efforts to make portals easier to use and more available will build a healthcare system that works better for patients with mental health needs.