Glossary, front desk
What is a patient portal?
A patient portal is a secure website or app where patients see their own health record, results, letters and invoices, and stay in touch with their clinic. It moves routine requests out of the phone queue and gives patients their information when they want it.
Updated . Defined by the wai team for clinics, groups and health systems.
Also called patient app or patient health profile.
Why Patient portal matters to a clinic
Patients expect to see their own results and letters without calling for them. A portal answers the questions that would otherwise reach the front desk, and a patient who can see their record is better prepared for the next visit.
It is also where trust is built or lost. What a patient can see, how it is explained and who can see it decide whether they keep using it.
Questions
Is a patient portal the same as an EHR?
No. The EHR is the clinic's record. The portal is the patient's window onto parts of it, with what they see set by the clinic.
Can a portal replace the front desk?
It takes routine requests off it. Questions that need a person still reach your team, in one inbox. See patient profiles.
See wai on your own clinic.
A 15 minute video call on your own diary, notes and inbox. Prices for clinics, groups and hospitals are on the pricing page.