Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41617402›Full record

ArticleJournal of the American Board of Family Medicine : JABFM2026

Accessing Patient Portals: Some Patients Want a Helping Hand.

Erik Herbert, Mechelle R Sanders, Jack McKeown, Anjali Blow, Naomi Booker, Amaya Sanders, Sandy Wang, Kevin Fiscella

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine : JABFM, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Erik HerbertFrom the St. John Fisher University Wegmans School of Pharmacy (EH); University of Rochester Medical Center (MRS, SW, KF); School of Medicine and Dentistry (JM); Howard University College of Medicine (AB); College of Arts and Sciences (AS); and New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY (NB). Eh06683@sjfc.edu Herberterik38@gmail.com.
Mechelle R SandersFrom the St. John Fisher University Wegmans School of Pharmacy (EH); University of Rochester Medical Center (MRS, SW, KF); School of Medicine and Dentistry (JM); Howard University College of Medicine (AB); College of Arts and Sciences (AS); and New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY (NB).
Jack McKeownFrom the St. John Fisher University Wegmans School of Pharmacy (EH); University of Rochester Medical Center (MRS, SW, KF); School of Medicine and Dentistry (JM); Howard University College of Medicine (AB); College of Arts and Sciences (AS); and New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY (NB).
Anjali BlowFrom the St. John Fisher University Wegmans School of Pharmacy (EH); University of Rochester Medical Center (MRS, SW, KF); School of Medicine and Dentistry (JM); Howard University College of Medicine (AB); College of Arts and Sciences (AS); and New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY (NB).
Naomi BookerFrom the St. John Fisher University Wegmans School of Pharmacy (EH); University of Rochester Medical Center (MRS, SW, KF); School of Medicine and Dentistry (JM); Howard University College of Medicine (AB); College of Arts and Sciences (AS); and New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY (NB).
Amaya SandersFrom the St. John Fisher University Wegmans School of Pharmacy (EH); University of Rochester Medical Center (MRS, SW, KF); School of Medicine and Dentistry (JM); Howard University College of Medicine (AB); College of Arts and Sciences (AS); and New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY (NB).
Sandy WangFrom the St. John Fisher University Wegmans School of Pharmacy (EH); University of Rochester Medical Center (MRS, SW, KF); School of Medicine and Dentistry (JM); Howard University College of Medicine (AB); College of Arts and Sciences (AS); and New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY (NB).
Kevin FiscellaFrom the St. John Fisher University Wegmans School of Pharmacy (EH); University of Rochester Medical Center (MRS, SW, KF); School of Medicine and Dentistry (JM); Howard University College of Medicine (AB); College of Arts and Sciences (AS); and New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY (NB).

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPatient portals provide patients with access to their health information, including medical history and conditions, lab results, and upcoming appointments and ability to message their care team. However, not all patients have access to their portal.

methodsA cross-sectional survey of 233 adult family medicine patients from 4 community health clinics and a local community organization was conducted. The survey assessed patient demographics, internet usage, device ownership, and engagement with patient portals. KEY

resultsNearly half (47%) of patients had never accessed any portal, whether their own, a friend's, or family member's. Among patients without home internet, 66% had never used a portal. 36% of laptop owners, 37% of desktop owners, and 34% of tablet owners had never used a portal. Across different self-identified identities, 46% of White patients, 41% of Black patients, and 53% of Hispanic/Latino patients had never used a portal. Among English speakers, 42% had never used a portal, compared with 59% of Spanish speakers. Roughly one-third (32%) of patients were interested in portal training, with more than half preferring individualized training.

conclusionsSignificant disparities in patient portal access exist in safety net practices. In addition to limited access to digital technology, lack of awareness of portal benefits and lack of clinician discussion and assistance likely contribute to inequities. Many patients desire individual portal training.

Indexed as

Family PracticePatient Access to RecordsPatient PortalsAdultAgedCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansInternetMaleMiddle AgedSurveys and QuestionnairesDigital DivideDoctor-Patient RelationsHealth Care DisparitiesHealth Information TechnologyInternet AccessLimited English ProficiencyPatient EngagementPatient PortalsRochesterSocial Determinants of HealthSurveys and QuestionnairesVulnerable Populations

Identifiers

PMID41617402
PMCPMC12978781

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.