Engaging hospitalized patients with personalized health information: a randomized trial of an inpatient portal.

TitleEngaging hospitalized patients with personalized health information: a randomized trial of an inpatient portal.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2019
AuthorsCreber RMMasterso, Grossman LV, Ryan B, Qian M, Polubriaginof FCG, Restaino S, Bakken S, Hripcsak G, Vawdrey DK
JournalJ Am Med Inform Assoc
Volume26
Issue2
Pagination115-123
Date Published2019 Feb 01
ISSN1527-974X
Abstract

Objective: To determine the effects of an inpatient portal intervention on patient activation, patient satisfaction, patient engagement with health information, and 30-day hospital readmissions.

Methods and Materials: From March 2014 to May 2017, we enrolled 426 English- or Spanish-speaking patients from 2 cardiac medical-surgical units at an urban academic medical center. Patients were randomized to 1 of 3 groups: 1) usual care, 2) tablet with general Internet access (tablet-only), and 3) tablet with an inpatient portal. The primary study outcome was patient activation (Patient Activation Measure-13). Secondary outcomes included all-cause readmission within 30 days, patient satisfaction, and patient engagement with health information.

Results: There was no evidence of a difference in patient activation among patients assigned to the inpatient portal intervention compared to usual care or the tablet-only group. Patients in the inpatient portal group had lower 30-day hospital readmissions (5.5% vs. 12.9% tablet-only and 13.5% usual care; Pā€‰=ā€‰0.044). There was evidence of a difference in patient engagement with health information between the inpatient portal and tablet-only group, including looking up health information online (89.6% vs. 51.8%; Pā€‰<ā€‰0.001). Healthcare providers reported that patients found the portal useful and that the portal did not negatively impact healthcare delivery.

Conclusions: Access to an inpatient portal did not significantly improve patient activation, but it was associated with looking up health information online and with a lower 30-day hospital readmission rate. These results illustrate benefit of providing hospitalized patients with real-time access to their electronic health record data while in the hospital.

Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01970852.

DOI10.1093/jamia/ocy146
Alternate JournalJ Am Med Inform Assoc
PubMed ID30534990
PubMed Central IDPMC6339515
Grant ListR00 NR016275 / NR / NINR NIH HHS / United States
Division: 
Health Informatics
Category: 
Faculty Publication