Before the implementation of Epic's MyChart patient portal, Parkview Health System faced several challenges in patient engagement and communication.

Patients often found it difficult to access their health records, leading to a lack of transparency and engagement in their healthcare journeys. This gap in communication sometimes resulted in missed appointments, medication nonadherence, and a general sense of disconnect between patients and their healthcare providers.

Additionally, manual processes for appointment scheduling and medical record access were time-consuming for both patients and staff, leading to inefficiencies and increased frustration with limited hours and accessibility.

Better engagement and communication

"Our proposal with MyChart was centered on enhancing patient engagement and streamlining communication between patients and healthcare providers," said Maximilian Maile, senior vice president of digital health at Parkview Health System. 

"MyChart was designed to offer a user-friendly platform where patients could easily access their health records, schedule appointments and communicate with their healthcare team.

"The portal was intended to provide a comprehensive view of a patient's health journey, enabling them to make informed decisions about their care," he continued. "By integrating electronic health records, appointment scheduling and secure messaging, MyChart aimed to bridge the communication gap, reduce administrative workload and empower patients to take an active role in their healthcare."

Today, MyChart is actively used by a wide range of stakeholders within Parkview Health System, including patients, healthcare providers and office members, to communicate back and forth. Patients use the portal to access medical records, manage appointments and communicate with their healthcare team.

Healthcare providers find it invaluable, Maile noted, for sharing test results, managing treatment plans and offering personalized care. The Epic EHR is integrated with numerous systems across the organization to help securely share data to areas that need it, such as imaging, pharmacy, external provider groups, remote patient monitoring and more.

The EHR acts as the primary source of information for care delivery at Parkview and is used across the health system and provider groups.

50 million portal pages viewed

"Post-implementation of MyChart, we now see a significant number of users leveraging communication methods in the portal, with more than 50 million pages viewed in the portal in a 12-month period," Maile reported. "This is measured by the surge in the number of patients actively using the portal to manage their healthcare.

"And while MyChart usage was not that high early on, as functionality continues to grow, people have more reasons to engage with us," he added. "MyChart’s availability is 24/7, and accessible anywhere in the world, allowing patients to renew their prescriptions or send a note to their doctor after 9 p.m., when the kids have gone to bed and they finally have a break from the chaos of the day."

The reduction in administrative tasks and improved scheduling efficiency are key success metrics for Parkview. MyChart has drastically reduced the time staff spend on phone calls for appointments and record requests, allowing them to focus more on direct patient care or other patient interactions.

"The benefit of operational efficiency grows as more users enjoy the portal, because then one can gain quick adoption of services that are building upon foundational elements," Maile said. "For example, the more people who engage with MyChart, the more eCheck-in options can be leveraged. Or more calls can be mitigated by offering online scheduling or prescription refill. The more users on the platform, the stronger the platform becomes.

Portal advice for peers

"For healthcare organizations considering the adoption of patient portals, it is essential to focus on user-friendliness and comprehensive integration with existing healthcare information systems," he continued. "Ensuring the portal is intuitive and accessible for all patients, regardless of their tech-savviness, is critical for successful adoption."

Additionally, involving healthcare professionals in the design and implementation process can provide valuable insights into the portal's functionality, ensuring it meets the needs of both patients and providers, he said. Lastly, continuous evaluation and adaptation based on user feedback can lead to ongoing improvements and sustained success of the portal, he concluded.

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