Recent trends in healthcare management show a significant shift towards digital solutions, aiming to improve patient engagement, streamline administrative tasks, and ensure the security of patient data.

Not surprisingly, 82% of patients say quality customer service is the most important factor they consider when choosing care and 39% say a good digital experience has a major influence in staying with that provider. 

Imagine having an online platform that allows patients to access their health information, communicate with their healthcare providers, and manage their care. These are called patient portals and are designed to solve several challenges in healthcare provision. Most of them are equipped with various capabilities such as HIPAA compliance, white-label, robust security, and data management: ultimately leading to enhanced patient experience. 

Before diving deep into the top patient portal solutions, let's first grasp what patient portal software truly is and identify the essential features it should offer. Feel free to explore any section of interest via the table of contents provided below.

Table of Content

• What is Patient Portal Software, Anyway?
• Top 7 Features a Patient Portal Should Have
• 8 Best Patient Portal Software for Healthcare Professionals

1. Clinked: Ideal For Medium Practices & Data Security
2. NextGen Office: Suited For Small/Medium Practices Needing EHR
3. Mend: Great For Telehealth & Patient Engagement
4. Pabau: Perfect For Clinics Wanting Practice Management
5. LeadSquared: Best For Patient Acquisition & CRM Focus
6. SimplePractice: Tailored For Small Clinics Seeking Simplicity
7. MyClients Plus: For Mental Health Pros Needing EHR Solutions
8. Intergy: Ideal For Ambulatory Care & Value-based Practices

• Conclusion: Choosing the Right Patient Portal Software
  

What is Patient Portal Software, Anyway?

Patient portal software, also known as patient portal programs, is a sophisticated, secure online platform designed to forge a seamless connection between patients and their healthcare providers. It offers a comprehensive suite of tools that empower patients to take charge of their health by providing immediate access to personal health information and services.

Through this portal, patients can effortlessly view their medical records in one secure place, schedule appointments, engage in secure messaging, request prescription refills, and settle bills online.

Patient portal solutions are at the forefront of enhancing patient engagement, elevating healthcare outcomes, and optimizing administrative efficiency. It stands as a testament to the modern approach to healthcare, where convenience and accessibility enable patients to interact and communicate with their healthcare providers in a dynamic, effective manner.

Top 7 Features a Patient Portal Should Have

Designed with healthcare providers in mind, a patient portal offers a suite of tools to revolutionize the way you interact with patients. Here's a breakdown of its core features:

1. Secure Access to Personal Health Records: This allows patients to view their health information online, including visit summaries, lab results, medication lists, and immunization records. Secure access encourages patients to take an active role in managing their health and facilitates better-informed discussions with healthcare providers.
2. Appointment Scheduling and Management: Patients can book, reschedule, or cancel appointments directly through the portal, which can significantly reduce no-show rates and administrative burden. This feature provides convenience for patients while helping practices optimize their scheduling and reduce gaps in care.
3. Secure Messaging with Healthcare Providers: A secure messaging feature enables direct communication between patients and their healthcare providers. This can include discussing symptoms, asking questions about treatments, or following up after appointments, enhancing the continuity of care and patient engagement.
4. Prescription Refill Requests: Patients can request medication refills through the portal, eliminating the need for phone calls and reducing the workload on office staff. This feature also helps ensure that patients have continuous access to their necessary medications without interruption.
5. White Label Customization: Customization is king with white label capabilities. This feature allows you to tailor the patient portal to reflect your branding, from logos to color schemes, providing a seamless experience that feels uniquely ‘you’. It’s not just a portal; it’s an extension of your practice's identity, enhancing patient trust and brand consistency.
6. Audit Trail: An essential feature that tracks and records all system activity. This ensures accountability and enhances security by providing a transparent log of user interactions, access changes, and data modifications within the portal.
7. Educational Resources and Health Tracking Tools: Many patient portals offer access to educational materials related to patients’ health conditions, treatments, and wellness. Additionally, health tracking tools for monitoring vital signs, symptoms, and other health metrics can empower patients to manage their health proactively.

These features collectively contribute to a more engaged and informed patient population, streamlined administrative processes, and improved communication between patients and healthcare providers. By offering these functionalities, patient portals play a critical role in advancing the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery.

8 Best Patient Portal Software for Healthcare Professionals

Let’s dive into the 8 best patient portals software companies in the market and what you should look out for when choosing one. 

1. Clinked: Ideal For Medium Practices & Data Security

Clinked is a client portal solution designed to enhance communication, collaboration, and information sharing between healthcare providers and their clients (62% patients surveyed said good communication and continuous engagement mattered the most!).

Equipped with unique features for healthcare professionals who prioritize data security and patient engagement, Clinked offers a secure platform to manage patient information, facilitate secure messaging, and streamline document sharing. With an emphasis on customization and white-label options, Clinked allows healthcare practices to tailor the portal to their brand, fostering a seamless and professional patient experience.

Pros:

• With ISO 27001 certification and HIPAA compliance, Clinked ensures that all patient data and communications are securely managed, adhering to the highest standards of data protection with bank-grade security.
• Practices can customize the portal to match their branding, offering a consistent and professional appearance to their clients.
• Clinked facilitates easy sharing and management of documents between providers and patients, streamlining the process of paperless information exchange and contributing to the environment.
• Offers encrypted communication options for secure conversations between healthcare providers and their patients. 

Cons:

• The extensive feature set can pose a learning curve initially.
• More suitable for medium sized practices with its extensive set of features. 

Pricing: Pricing starts at $77 per month for the Team package, with custom enterprise solutions available.

Tip: See how you can create a custom patient portal with Clinked!

2. NextGen Office: Suited For Small/Medium Practices Needing EHR

NextGen Office is tailored for small to medium-sized healthcare practices, offering a powerful EHR solution along with a patient portal that enhances patient-provider communication. It supports a wide range of medical specialties with features such as customizable templates, billing, and practice management. 

Pros:

• Mobile app for on-the-go access to patient records and communication.
• Integrated EHR system streamlines clinical workflows.
• Customizable templates for charting and reporting.

Cons:

• Learning curve may be steep for new users.
• Some users report slow customer service response times.

Pricing: Custom pricing based on practice needs. Contact NextGen for a quote.

3. Mend: Great For Telehealth & Patient Engagement

Mend is a digital health platform focusing on patient engagement with robust telehealth services, appointment scheduling, and automated reminders. It’s designed to simplify the process of managing patient appointments and virtual visits, making healthcare more accessible.

Pros:

• High reliability and user satisfaction for telehealth services.
• Automated appointment reminders reduce no-shows (Missed appointments cost the U.S. healthcare system alone more than $150 billion a year!)
• Easy integration with existing healthcare systems.

Cons:

• Initial setup can be complex and time-consuming.
• Limited customization options for patient communications.

Pricing: Starts at $49.99. Contact Mend for details and quotes.

4. Pabau: Perfect For Clinics Wanting Practice Management

Pabau is a comprehensive practice management software that serves healthcare providers with tools for appointment scheduling, medical billing, CRM, and a patient portal. It's particularly favored by clinics for its ability to streamline patient management and enhance engagement.

Pros:

• Comprehensive suite of features supports a wide range of practice needs.
• Seamless integration with third-party apps and services.
• User-friendly interface simplifies operations.

Cons:

• Some users desire more flexibility in customization.
• Occasional updates may temporarily disrupt workflow.

Pricing: Request quote from Pabau.

5. LeadSquared: Best For Patient Acquisition & CRM Focus

LeadSquared blends CRM and patient portal functionalities to manage patient interactions efficiently. It’s aimed at healthcare institutions looking to improve their patient acquisition and engagement processes through automation and analytics.

Pros:

• Extensive customization capabilities cater to specific practice requirements.
• Excellent customer support enhances user experience.
• Powerful automation tools for marketing and patient follow-ups.

Cons:

• May require time to fully leverage the breadth of features offered.
• Higher price point compared to simpler solutions.

Pricing: Basic plans start at $25 per user/month, with more advanced features available at higher tiers.

6. SimplePractice: Tailored For Small Clinics Seeking Simplicity

SimplePractice offers a streamlined experience for health and wellness professionals, emphasizing ease of use with features such as online booking, telehealth capabilities, billing, and a secure messaging system. It's designed to cater to the needs of individual practitioners and small to mid-sized clinics, providing a comprehensive suite of tools to manage their practice efficiently.

Pros:

• Easy-to-use interface enhances user experience.
• Comprehensive features include telehealth, billing, and document management.
• Robust security measures ensure HIPAA compliance.

Cons:

• Pricing can be higher compared to similar platforms.
• Limited customization options for reports and forms.

Pricing: Plans start at $69 per month for the Essential package, with the Professional package at $99 per month. A free trial is available.

7. MyClients Plus: For Mental Health Pros Needing EHR Solutions

Specifically designed for mental health professionals, MyClients Plus provides an EHR solution with features tailored to the needs of therapists and counselors, including billing, appointment scheduling, and a patient portal. It emphasizes ease of use and comprehensive support.

Pros:

• Specialization in mental health enhances relevant feature sets.
• Intuitive interface and workflow designed for therapists and counselors.
• Comprehensive support and resources tailored to mental health practices.

Cons:

• Focused primarily on mental health, which may not suit all healthcare sectors.
• Limited integration with broader healthcare systems.

Pricing: Plans start at $29 per month, with various options available based on features and usage.

8. Intergy: Ideal For Ambulatory Care & Value-based Practices

Intergy by Greenway Health is a comprehensive cloud-based EHR and practice management solution that caters to the needs of ambulatory practices of all sizes. It's designed to manage chronic conditions, capture payer incentives, and offer value-based healthcare. The platform aims to improve office efficiency, provide accurate documentation, and simplify scheduling without slowing down staff. With built-in regulatory readiness, including 2015 ONC Health IT certification and EPCS functionality, Intergy helps practices meet value-based care program requirements.

Pros:

• Intergy is known for its ease of use, requiring minimal training for new staff to perform scheduling duties.
• The platform allows for significant customization of EHR forms to cater to the way providers prefer.

Cons:

• Users have pointed out that the platform's reporting functionality is limited unless supplemented by additional software like Practice Analytics, which incurs extra costs​​.
• There are challenges in merging duplicate patient charts, which can complicate patient records management.

Pricing: Available upon request.

Conclusion: Choosing the Right Patient Portal Software

Choosing the right patient portal for your healthcare practice transcends a simple comparison of features; it's about finding a tool that embodies your vision for patient care, bolsters your operational efficiency, and has the capacity to grow alongside your practice.

In your quest for the ideal patient portal, it's crucial to weigh not only the immediate advantages but also the potential long-term impacts on your practice's efficiency and patient satisfaction. The optimal patient portal software should cater to your current needs while being agile enough to adapt to the evolving healthcare landscape, ensuring that your practice consistently leads in patient care and management.

In this context, Clinked’s client portal platform emerges as a standout solution, exemplifying the blend of innovation, security, and user-centric design that healthcare professionals demand. Beyond its comprehensive suite of features tailored for healthcare – from HIPAA compliance to white-label customization – Clinked is dedicated to enhancing patient-provider communication and facilitating a seamless, engaging patient experience.

We invite you to discover how Clinked can transform your patient engagement and streamline your practice’s operations. Book a demo today and take the first step towards redefining patient care within your practice. Let Clinked be the catalyst for your journey towards operational excellence and heightened patient satisfaction.