TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE OF PATIENT PORTALS: A CASE STUDY

Abstract

With the passing of the Affordable Care Act in the United States in 2010, electronic health records, including patient portals, were integrated into most medical practices with the hope that these systems would help to better manage and secure healthcare information.  The shift over time from paper-based medical processes to electronic health records could help provide patients greater access to their Protected Health Information.  A digital divide can occur in medical practices where only some patients have access to their health information. This case study involved physician-managed ambulatory clinics in Utah and examined provider and medical staff beliefs about the efficacy of patient portals.  The variables identified in the technology acceptance model and some of its variants were used to formulate interview questions to better understand provider and medical staff acceptance of patient portals.  Specifically, perceived usefulness, social norms, and social influence were TAM-related variables that were examined.