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The Quadruple Aim
Quadruple Aim

A Conceptual Framework

Improving the U.S. health care system requires four aims: improving the experience of care, improving the health of populations, reducing per capita costs and improving care team well-being. HITEQ Center resources seek to provide content and direction aligned with the goals of the Quadruple Aim

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Overview

Through the data validation process, valuable information is gained that can then be used to improve performance around patient care or quality of care metrics.  Improving quality performance may take the form of improving data collection processes, better identifying patients who need additional interventions, or decreasing missed opportunities to provide patients appropriate interventions, among other possibilities. This section includes guidance on leveraging Health IT to improve quality performance including change packages for recommended approaches related to various quality of care measures.

Improving Performance Resources
Individuals’ Access and Use of Patient Portals and Smartphone Health Apps, 2022
Caitlin Tricomi
/ Categories: Electronic Patient Engagement, Patient Portals, Mobile Health, Health Information Exchange, Relevance of HIE, Implementation of HIE, Privacy and Security, HIPAA

Individuals’ Access and Use of Patient Portals and Smartphone Health Apps, 2022

ONC Data Brief | October 2023

Patient use of their health information accessible to them through online tools (e.g., patient portals and smartphone apps) can help empower them to make informed decisions about their health and track progress on health-related goals, potentially resulting in improved patient outcomes (1). Enabling patients to access and use the information contained in online medical records and patient portals may also provide significant health system benefits, including decreased healthcare costs and strengthened patient- physician relationships (1). In 2020, ONC published the Cures Act Final Rule to increase patient and provider access to health-related data, specifically through health IT developer adoption of secure standardized application programming interfaces (APIs) that make this information more widely available across smartphone apps (2). The API requirements, which as of 2023 have been rolled out to health care providers, enable patients to electronically access their electronic health information using apps. This brief analyzes recent data from the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults, to assess progress in patient access amidst implementation of Cures Rule provisions during the COVID-19 pandemic, which likely increased demand for access to online medical records. This brief also reports on methods and frequency of individuals’ access and use of online medical records and patient portals.

 

 

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Tags: patient electronic accessHIEHIPAApatientportalmedical records

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Acknowledgements

This resource collection was compiled by the HITEQ Center staff with guidance from HITEQ Advisory Committee members and collaborators of the HITEQ Center.