June 20, 2006
Patient Gateway makes healthcare tasks easier for Dana-Farber patients
If a breast cancer patient decides at night that she wants to change an upcoming appointment, request a prescription refill, or tell her doctor about side effects from her medications, she no longer has to wait until the next day and make a phone call. Thanks to a new computer program called Patient Gateway, she can convey her message to the clinic anytime.
A new system that works in tandem with the computerized, longitudinal medical record (LMR) at Dana-Farber, Patient Gateway provides a secure way for patients to view some of the data in their record, and take steps online that would otherwise require several phone calls during work hours. "Patient Gateway makes the tasks of being a patient easier," says Joan Feltman, analyst for the Oncology Service Line with Partners Information Services (I.S.)
Already in use in many of Partners' HealthCare primary care offices at Brigham and Women's and Massachusetts General hospitals, the program is being piloted among women's cancer patients at Dana-Farber and will be rolled out to other adult care centers over the next year. Feltman is enrolling patients to participate in the pilot, and providing training to patients and staff.
In addition to being more convenient, the system offers safety enhancements such as a standardized process for ordering prescription refills. "Currently, a patient might call the clinic and say, 'I need more pink pills.' The practice coordinator takes a message, the nurse practitioner or physician determines which drug it is, and the practice coordinator finds out whether the order should be called into the patient's local pharmacy or mailed," Feltman explains. "With Patient Gateway, the medications are listed for the patient to check off, and her preferences for delivery are built in."
Patient Gateway requests usually go first to practice coordinators, who schedule follow-up appointments and often serve as a communications bridge between patients and their doctors and nurses. They say the program makes it easy for patients to gather their thoughts and write a message whenever it's convenient. The format is just as easy for a patient to use as e-mail, but different because the messages require a separate login to be viewed, so that any sensitive information is not stored in a general e-mail system.
The program also offers many pluses for providers. Online messages cut down on phone calls, help reduce errors, and provide a permanent record of patient requests and questions. This information can also be "clicked" into the LMR as a note.
"I like the fact that it is a secure space, so I feel more comfortable replying to patients' questions," says Anne Kelly, NP, nurse practitioner in the Women's Cancers Program. "Before, patients would e-mail me from work, and I was concerned about privacy. I also like the idea that they can request an appointment this way, which reduces phone tag."
Women's cancer patients can sign up for Patient Gateway by visiting www.patientgateway.org. Complete the online enrollment form to request a private username and password to gain access to the system. If you need help during the enrollment process, please call (800) 745-9683.
- Christine Cleary
Christine_Cleary@dfci.harvard.edu
