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Research ArticleOriginal Research

Disparities in Use of Patient Portals Among Adults in Family Medicine

Wen-Jan Tuan, Mark Mellott, Brian G. Arndt, Jami Jones and Annie N. Simpson
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine May 2022, 35 (3) 559-569; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3122/jabfm.2022.03.210486
Wen-Jan Tuan
From Departments of Family and Community Medicine, and Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania, USA, Hershey, PA (W-JT); Department of Healthcare Leadership and Management, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA, Charleston, SC (MM, JJ, ANS); University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Madison, WI, USA, Madison, WI (BGA).
DHA, MS, MPH
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Mark Mellott
From Departments of Family and Community Medicine, and Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania, USA, Hershey, PA (W-JT); Department of Healthcare Leadership and Management, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA, Charleston, SC (MM, JJ, ANS); University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Madison, WI, USA, Madison, WI (BGA).
PhD, MPA
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Brian G. Arndt
From Departments of Family and Community Medicine, and Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania, USA, Hershey, PA (W-JT); Department of Healthcare Leadership and Management, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA, Charleston, SC (MM, JJ, ANS); University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Madison, WI, USA, Madison, WI (BGA).
MD
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Jami Jones
From Departments of Family and Community Medicine, and Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania, USA, Hershey, PA (W-JT); Department of Healthcare Leadership and Management, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA, Charleston, SC (MM, JJ, ANS); University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Madison, WI, USA, Madison, WI (BGA).
PhD, MHA
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Annie N. Simpson
From Departments of Family and Community Medicine, and Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania, USA, Hershey, PA (W-JT); Department of Healthcare Leadership and Management, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA, Charleston, SC (MM, JJ, ANS); University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Madison, WI, USA, Madison, WI (BGA).
PhD, MSc
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Article Figures & Data

Tables

    • View popup
    Table 1.

    Patient Characteristics by Online Portal Access Status

    CharacteristicsWith Account n (%)Without Account n (%)Chi-square Statistics
    Total population74,147 (72.5)28,195 (27.5)
    Practice-Level
    Residency Clinic17,256 (23.3)7,970 (28.3)274.4**
    Clinic Location505.0**
     Urban44,856 (60.5)15,225 (54.0)
     Suburban13,766 (18.6)5,290 (18.8)
     Rural15,525 (20.9)7,680 (27.2)
    PCP-Level
    Faculty68,980 (93.0)24,959 (88.5)551.0**
    Years of Practice
     < 55,482 (7.4)3,313 (11.8)1045.7**
     5-1426,152 (35.3)7,757 (27.5)
     15-2422,856 (30.8)8,173 (29.0)
     25+19,657 (26.5)8,952 (31.8)
    Patient-Level
     Female43,739 (59.0)12,823 (45.5)1508.1**
    Age Group1528.0**
     18-3925,377 (34.2)8,262 (29.3)
     40-6419,758 (26.6)8,082 (28.7)
     65+5,743 (7.7)4,325 (15.3)
    Race1400.9**
     White68,209 (92.0)23,981 (85.1)
     Black2,128 (2.9)2,085 (7.4)
     Asian1,899 (2.6)836 (3.0)
     Hispanic2,119 (2.9)2,275 (8.1)1358.4**
     Other1,911 (2.6)1,293 (4.6)
    Payer Category5285.8**
     Commercial62,372 (84.1)17,964 (63.7)
     Medicaid3,564 (4.8)3,601 (12.8)
     Medicare7,501 (10.1)5,648 (20.0)
     Uninsured710 (1.0)982 (3.5)
     Comorbidity58,653 (79.1)21,964 (77.9)17.7**
    Prescriptions444.3**
     0-1022,246 (30.0)10,356 (36.7)
     11-2014,644 (19.7)5,038 (17.9)
     21-309,744 (13.1)3,096 (11.0)
     31+27,513 (37.1)9,705 (34.4)
    Lab Tests1788.2**
     0-1019,843 (26.8)11,326 (40.2)
     11-2016,571 (22.3)5,681 (20.1)
     21-3011,586 (15.6)3,430 (12.2)
     31+26,147 (35.3)7,758 (27.5)
    • *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01.

    • View popup
    Table 2.

    Factor Loadings of Patient Portal Features on Each Feature Domain

    Feature Domaina
    FeatureMessagingHealth Info ManagementBilling/InsuranceResource/Education
    Messaging - view0.7890.3730.0960.021
    Messaging - write0.8510.3020.0590.007
    Messaging - view medical0.8330.1390.0730.142
    Messaging - write medical0.8790.2240.088-0.034
    Appointment access0.1970.7400.1640.253
    Appointment scheduling0.1880.5740.1460.092
    Record access0.2690.6880.0750.045
    Record management0.1050.5100.078−0.366
    Visit Summary0.1880.7830.1030.118
    Insurance and payment - View0.1020.3490.6750.035
    Insurance and payment - Write0.0830.0010.893−0.007
    Documentation0.1960.472-0.0050.501
    Resource0.1040.1420.0360.889
    Sums of squares (eigenvalue)4.881.421.061.01
    Percent of trace37.510.98.27.8
    • ↵a Numbers are rotated factor loadings which are correlations between feature types and feature domains.

    • Factor loadings are marked bold for features assigned to a corresponding domain.

    • View popup
    Table 3.

    Effects on Time Spent on the Patient Portal by Feature Domain

    CharacteristicsMessaging, OR (95% CI)Health Info Management,OR (95% CI)Billing/Insurance, OR (95% CI)Resource/Education, OR (95% CI)
    Panel Months1.007** (1.006–1.008)1.010** (1.154–1.224)1.003** (1.202–1.336)1.004** (1.173–1.267)
    Residency Clinic1.127** (1.089–1.167)1.015 (0.989–1.042)0.925** (0.883–0.968)1.036* (1.002–1.072)
    Clinic Location (ref: rural)
     Urban1.599** (1.534–1.666)1.232** (1.194–1.271)1.363** (1.288–1.442)1.252** (1.203–1.304)
     Suburban1.293** (1.243–1.345)1.188** (1.154–1.224)1.267** (1.202–1.336)1.219** (1.173–1.267)
    Faculty1.121 (0.955–1.315)0.966 (0.861–1.083)1.184 (0.980–1.429)1.204* (1.043–1.39)
    Years of Practice (ref: 25+)
     < 51.058 (0.906–1.235)1.019 (0.912–1.138)1.211* (1.010–1.452)1.217** (1.060–1.398)
     5–141.263** (1.221–1.306)1.152** (1.124–1.181)1.182** (1.130–1.237)1.088** (1.053–1.123)
     15–241.121** (1.084–1.159)1.066** (1.040–1.093)1.071** (1.024–1.12)1.026 (0.993–1.060)
     Female1.145** (1.115–1.175)1.105** (1.084–1.127)1.095** (1.057–1.135)1.326** (1.292–1.360)
    Age in years (ref: 65+)
     18–391.045* (1.009–1.082)0.985 (0.959–1.011)0.983 (0.938–1.031)0.933** (0.902–0.965)
     40–641.119** (1.085–1.155)0.962** (0.939–0.984)0.965 (0.924–1.006)0.888** (0.861–0.914)
    Race (ref: white)
     Black0.471** (0.435–0.508)0.784** (0.740–0.830)0.625** (0.564–0.692)1.035 (0.959–1.116)
     Asian0.765** (0.706–0.828)1.090** (1.027–1.156)1.123* (1.009–1.249)0.975 (0.902–1.053)
     Hispanic0.710** (0.657–0.765)0.921** (0.870–0.974)0.964 (0.869–1.068)1.087* (1.009–1.17)
     Other0.841** (0.776–0.910)0.951 (0.896–1.009)0.915 (0.821–1.019)0.968 (0.895–1.045)
    Payer Category (ref: commercial)
     Medicare0.921** (0.880–0.963)1.055** (1.020–1.091)0.475** (0.447–0.504)0.777** (0.744–0.811)
     Medicaid0.765** (0.720–0.812)0.887** (0.847–0.927)0.306** (0.282–0.331)1.037 (0.978–1.100)
     Uninsured/Self–pay0.867* (0.761–0.985)0.926 (0.841–1.019)0.798* (0.671–0.948)1.302** (1.149–1.474)
    Comorbidity1.040** (1.034–1.046)1.055** (1.050–1.059)1.016** (1.008–1.024)1.037** (1.031–1.043)
    # Prescriptions (ref: ≤10)
     11–201.501** (1.447–1.558)1.105** (1.075–1.136)1.151** (1.095–1.21)1.200** (1.157–1.243)
     21–301.815** (1.738–1.895)1.138** (1.101–1.175)1.192** (1.124–1.264)1.245** (1.194–1.299)
     >302.722** (2.614–2.835)1.355** (1.314–1.397)1.345** (1.272–1.422)1.556** (1.496–1.620)
    # Lab tests (ref: ≤10)
     11–201.512** (1.457–1.569)1.635** (1.591–1.681)1.389** (1.321–1.461)1.244** (1.200–1.290)
     21–301.884** (1.805–1.967)2.087** (2.021–2.156)1.769** (1.668–1.876)1.385** (1.327–1.445)
     >302.814** (2.698–2.935)3.235** (3.134–3.339)2.280** (2.153–2.414)1.708** (1.639–1.781)
     % Internet Access1.006** (1.002–1.010)1.002 (0.998–1.004)1.002 (0.996–1.007)0.999 (0.995–1.003)
     % HS Degree1.014** (1.007–1.021)1.004 (0.998–1.009)0.997 (0.987–1.006)1.005 (0.998–1.011)
     % Some College Degree1.016** (1.010–1.022)1.006** (1.002–1.010)1.006 (0.998–1.014)1.005 (0.999–1.011)
     % Bachelor Degree1.019** (1.013–1.024)1.008** (1.004–1.012)1.004 (0.996–1.012)1.004 (0.998–1.010)
     % Below Poverty1.001 (0.997–1.003)1.003** (1.001–1.005)1.004* (1.002–1.007)1.002 (0.999–1.004)
    Scaled Deviance1.401.291.521.42
    Scaled Pearson Chi–square0.820.690.670.77
    • *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01.

    • Abbreviations: OR, odds ratio; 95% CI, 95% confidence interval.

  • FeatureFeature Type
    Health information summary
        Laboratory result 5,13,14Record access
        Diagnostic test result 13Record access
        Health summaryRecord access
        Current health issue 13,14Record access
        Health summary 14,15Record access
        Medical history 13,14Record access
        Problem list 14,15Record access
        Immunization history 5,14,15Record access
        MedicationRecord access
        History 5,13,14Record access
        Request refill 13,15Record management
        Allergies 13,14Record access
        Preventive care reminders 13,14Record access
        Contraceptive visit reminders 5Record access
        STD test reminders 5Record access
    Appointment management
        Request or cancel 13–15Appointment scheduling
        Reminders 5,13,14Appointment access
        History log 13Appointment access
    Messaging
        View 13,14Messaging (general or medical) - View
        Send to caregivers 5,13,14Messaging (general or medical) - Write
    Patient note and goal
        Notes and biometric uploadRecord management
        Goal settingRecord management
        QuestionnaireRecord management
    Referral
        RequestRecord management
        SummaryVisit summary
        Visit/admission summaries 14Visit summary
        Educational materials and Web resources 13Resource
        General health-related information 14Resource
        Document downloading or printing 13–15Documentation
    Billing and insurance
        Insurance benefitInsurance and payment - View
        Billing statementInsurance and payment - View
        Pay onlineInsurance and payment - Write
        Provider and clinic informationResource
        Account management 15Excluded in the analysis
    • References: 5Ramsey et al. (2018); 13Elkind et al., 2017; 14Lafata et al. (2018); 15Tsai et al. (2019).

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The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine: 35 (3)
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
Vol. 35, Issue 3
May/June 2022
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Disparities in Use of Patient Portals Among Adults in Family Medicine
Wen-Jan Tuan, Mark Mellott, Brian G. Arndt, Jami Jones, Annie N. Simpson
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine May 2022, 35 (3) 559-569; DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2022.03.210486

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Disparities in Use of Patient Portals Among Adults in Family Medicine
Wen-Jan Tuan, Mark Mellott, Brian G. Arndt, Jami Jones, Annie N. Simpson
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine May 2022, 35 (3) 559-569; DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2022.03.210486
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