Telehealth and Patient Portals, Explained Simply
Two plain words can make online health care feel much less confusing.
More health care now happens online, but that does not mean you have to figure it out alone. A federal HealthIT.gov data brief found that in 2022, 73% of people were offered online access to their medical records and 57% accessed their online records or patient portal at least once in the past year. In plain English: chances are good that your doctor’s office, hospital, or insurer already offers a portal.
Telehealth means a visit by video or phone
Telehealth is a health care visit that happens when you and your provider are not in the same room. It may be a video visit, a phone call, or a visit through your clinic’s app or portal.
It can be useful for follow-ups, medication questions, reviewing symptoms, and some routine care. For emergencies, call 911 or your doctor’s office directly.
A patient portal is your health information online
A patient portal is a secure website or app from your doctor, hospital, or health system. It often holds test results, messages, prescription refills, appointments, and visit summaries.
The portal is not a replacement for your provider. It is a way to see information, ask non-urgent questions, and keep track of next steps.
Use the portal safely
Enroll through your clinic, not through a random link. Many offices give you an activation code or send an invitation. Once it is set up, reach the portal through the official app, a bookmark you saved, or the address you type yourself.
Be careful with texts or emails that say “your results are ready” and include a link. Open the portal directly instead.
Get ready before a video visit
Ask the office how the visit will happen. Install any app ahead of time. Charge your phone, tablet, or computer. Use Wi-Fi if you can. Sit somewhere quiet, private, and well lit.
Keep your medication list, questions, symptoms, pen, and paper nearby. Join a few minutes early and allow the camera and microphone if the app asks.
The habit that matters most
Use the portal for routine health information, not emergencies. When something feels urgent, call your provider or 911 directly.
Keep learning, free
Lumoset’s free course, Getting Care Online – Level 1: Telehealth & Patient Portals Made Simple, explains portals, video visits, privacy, and where to get help. No account needed, always free, at lumoset.org.
Sources: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Individuals’ Access and Use of Patient Portals and Smartphone Health Apps, 2022; HHS Telehealth, What should I know before my telehealth visit?; Medicare.gov, Telehealth.
Image credit: jfcherry (CC BY-SA 2.0).