Is Your EHR Improving Patient ‘Techquity’?

Technology has transformed healthcare, but the benefits have not been distributed evenly. Technology can actually be a barrier for some populations.Inequitable access to care in general and technology-based care in particular lead to inferior health outcomes among those affected. Electronic health record (EHR) systems, at the heart of 21st-century healthcare, can help address technology-related healthcare inequities, finally providing what some have dubbed techquity.Once a patient has internet access, techquity starts with patient portals. For many busy people, the best customer service is self-service, which EHRs can provide through a robust provider website. Patient portals can constitute a direct line not only to their provider’s office, but to important services like scheduling, form filling, prescription ordering, billing inquiries, payments, and lab reports.