| Patients are becoming increasingly vocal about what it is that they desire from the healthcare system and how they want to see their healthcare dollars spent. The Affordable Care Act has mandated the use of the web-based portals for meaningful use. The modern technology of web-based portals was the basis for creating an Electronic Patient Engagement Program at Samaritan Medical Center. While an organization can simply implement a very basic portal, it is important that Samaritan Medical Center's administrators utilize the portals to their full potential so that they may improve the health outcomes of the patients within their community. As personal health records, or PHRs, gain more popularity, the uses and functions of such web-based portals may also mature. Samaritan Medical Center has seen a very small percentage of use by patients over the past two years, since the initial implementation of the portals at their website and the mobile application. Administrators at Samaritan Medical Center have been making strides to improve patient engagement through electronic platforms. The administrators' primary goal of the Electronic Patient Engagement Program at SMC is to encourage a much larger percentage of their patients to become electronically engaged through the use of the web-based portals. An additional perk to these portals is that they are provided to the patients at no additional charge. By marketing the portals appropriately and through properly educating the staff and providers, all employees of SMC can work collectively towards improving the percentage of patients who are seen utilizing PHRs, which will increase patient engagement on all levels.;Key words: Health Care Administration, Dr. Dana Hart, Professor Maria DeGiglio, Electronic Medical Record, Personal Health Record, Electronic Patient Engagement, Personal Health Information, Meaningful Use. |
