Collaborating to Connect the Underserved With Patient Portals

Abstract

Abstract This chapter introduces a library-led project to engage underserved patients with patient portal systems. It provides a background of the project, including the institutional context, a summary of the literature supporting patient portal implementation, as well as the national policies driving uptake. It highlights the unique challenges underserved patients and their health-care systems face in effectively engaging with patient portal systems. It describes the interdisciplinary project team and efforts to increase patient engagement in hospital and clinic settings. The chapter describes research funded by the National Library of Medicine to develop, test, and share video-based patient portal curricula. Finally, the chapter concludes with reflections on the benefits of the project from Library, physician, researcher, and patient perspectives and offers recommendations for other health sciences libraries considering similar projects.