Caregiver Proxy Patient Portal Access Leaves Much to Be Desired

Healthcare organizations may consider strategies for marketing proxy patient portal access to better support caregivers while protecting patient privacy. New research published in JAMA Network Open is showing that the patient portal isn’t exactly set up for caregiver engagement and use. Caregivers are certainly using the portal, the data showed, but password-sharing is rampant, and it’s calling into question patient privacy and best practices for proxy patient portal adoption. Patient portals aren’t always just for patients. With kids managing their health with their parents or guardians and more and more seniors tapping their adult children or professional caregivers as they age, the patient portal isn’t just about the patient at the center of care. Proxy patient portals are caregiver-facing tools that are tethered to a designee’s patient portal and EHR. These technologies are best suited for parents or guardians of adolescent patients or those caring for an aging or ailing family member.