Log On for Health - Older Adults Getting Access to Health Information

According to a recent poll, more older adults now utilize secure websites or apps to access their health information or engage in virtual medical appointments than five years ago.

This enhanced access to health information enables them, along with their families and caregivers, to obtain accurate information regarding their health and treatment plans.

According to findings from the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging, 78% of people aged 50 to 80 have used at least one patient portal, up from 51% in a poll taken five years ago. Of those with portal access, 55% had used it in the past month, and 49% have accounts on multiple portals. 

The poll reveals significant disparities in the use of patient portals among different groups of older adults. Those with annual household incomes below $60,000 and individuals who identify as Black or Hispanic exhibit lower rates of portal use and express more concerns about their comfort level with using portals compared to higher-income individuals or non-Hispanic whites.

Furthermore, older adults who haven't used portals in three or more years, or those who don't use them at all, demonstrate differences in their confidence levels. Those who perceive their physical or mental health as fair or poor are more likely to express a lack of confidence in logging in and navigating a portal, in contrast to those with better physical or mental health.

Human Contact is Still Preferred

Despite the utilization of online portals among older adults, the poll indicates a preference for phone calls for certain tasks, such as scheduling appointments or asking medical questions. Generally, portal users prefer using the portal for tasks like accessing test results and requesting prescription refills.

The poll is based at the U-M Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation and supported by AARP and Michigan Medicine, the University of Michigan's academic medical center.

The jump in portal use between polls done in 2018 and 2023 likely happened partly due to the increase in telehealth visits, says Denise Anthony, Ph.D., the U-M School of Public Health researcher who worked on the poll. 

The COVID-19 virus crisis spurred many health systems, physician groups, and hospitals to support video visits within their secure websites and apps. 

This change makes access to secure portals even more important for older adults who want to see their doctors and other health care providers virtually. It also makes the disparities we found in our poll even more troubling.

According to Anthony, Chair of the Department of Health Management and Policy, enhancing the functionality and accessibility of portal systems and implementing increased outreach and training programs to assist patients in comprehending and utilizing these systems will play a vital role in advancing equity.

Access to Family and Caregivers

Many portals offer patients the option to grant access to their health information to a trusted individual, enabling them to assist in managing their health services. The latest poll reveals that 49% of portal users have taken advantage of this feature, indicating an increase from 43% in 2018. Among all portal users, 40% have provided access to a spouse or partner, with 48% of men doing so compared to 32% of women.

Poll director Jeffrey Kullgren, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., is an associate professor of internal medicine at Michigan Medicine and physician and researcher at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System. Kullgren says it is especially important for patients who have complex health needs or multiple conditions to have a portal account. He says there should be training to increase confidence and encourage the sharing of access with trusted loved ones.

A growing body of evidence shows that patients who use portals to access their information are more likely to take an active role in their care and stick to the treatment plan their physicians and other providers recommend, which we know is likely to lead to better outcomes.

According to his observations, 27% of the poll respondents who utilized a patient portal in the past year expressed a desire for additional training. This percentage was even higher among respondents who haven't recently used a patient portal, particularly those who identify as Black or Hispanic or have incomes below $60,000.

Not Everyone Has Internet Access

AARP Senior Vice President of Research, Indira Venkat, says that research indicates that while more older Americans are embracing technology, nearly 22 million seniors still do not have wireline broadband access at home, limiting their access to essential digital health care services like patient portals.

Closing the digital divide among older adults is critical to improving their wellbeing, especially for vulnerable communities and individuals.

Health portals can provide several benefits for those needing long-term care. They can help patients stay more involved in their care by giving them access to their health information and the ability to communicate with their care team. Health portals can also help patients manage their health conditions by providing them with educational resources and tools.

In addition, health portals can help caregivers stay organized and informed about their loved one's care. Caregivers and family members can use health portals to access their loved ones' medical records, track their medications, and schedule appointments.

Michigan Medicine launched its portal, MyUofMhealth.org, in 2012. Like many health systems, it has continued to add online functions, from rapid test result access and paperless billing, to self-scheduling some types of appointments and having asynchronous chats with providers for urgent matters. 

Today, 20% of all outpatient visits with University of Michigan Health providers are via video connections hosted in the portal.

The poll report is based on findings from a nationally representative survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago for IHPI and administered online and via phone in January 2023 among 2,563 adults aged 50 to 80. The sample was subsequently weighted to reflect the U.S. population.