Gasteiger Norina, Fleming Theresa, Day Karen
School of Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
School of Health, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.
Internet Interv. 2020 Jan 9;19:100304. doi: 10.1016/j.invent.2020.100304. eCollection 2020 Mar.
Patient portals have the potential to increase access to mental health services. However, a lack of research is available to guide practices on extending patient portals into mental health services. This study explored stakeholder (student service users' and health providers') expectations and perceptions of extending patient portals into a New Zealand university-based mental health service.
This qualitative study explored the perspectives of 17 students and staff members at a university-based health and counselling service on an Internet-based patient portal through a software demonstration, two focus groups and 13 interviews. Data were analyzed thematically.
Staff and students perceived the patient portal as useful, easy to use and expected it to help make mental health care more accessible. Staff were most concerned with the portal's ability to support their triage processes and that it might enable students to 'counselor hop' (see multiple counselors). Staff recommended extension into services that do not require triage. Most students expected the portal to enhance patient-counselor contact and rapport, through continuity of care. Students were concerned with appointment waiting times, the stigmatization of poor mental health and their capacity to seek help. They considered the portal might assist with this. Students recommended extension into all services, including urgent appointments. After viewing findings from initial student and staff groups, staff concluded that extending a patient portal into their counseling services should be prioritized.
This research suggests that there is value in extending patient portals into mental health care, especially into low-risk services. Future research should explore opportunities to support triage and appointment-making processes for mental health services, via patient portals.
患者门户网站有潜力增加获得心理健康服务的机会。然而，目前缺乏研究来指导将患者门户网站扩展到心理健康服务领域的实践。本研究探讨了利益相关者（学生服务使用者和健康提供者）对将患者门户网站扩展到新西兰大学心理健康服务的期望和看法。
本定性研究通过软件演示、两个焦点小组和13次访谈，探讨了一所大学健康与咨询服务机构的17名学生和工作人员对基于互联网的患者门户网站的看法。对数据进行了主题分析。
工作人员和学生认为患者门户网站很有用且易于使用，并期望它能使心理健康护理更容易获得。工作人员最关心门户网站支持其分诊流程的能力，以及它可能使学生“更换咨询师”（见多位咨询师）。工作人员建议将其扩展到不需要分诊的服务。大多数学生期望门户网站通过持续护理来加强患者与咨询师的联系和融洽关系。学生们担心预约等待时间、心理健康不佳带来的污名化以及他们寻求帮助的能力。他们认为门户网站可能会有所帮助。学生们建议将其扩展到所有服务，包括紧急预约。在查看了最初学生和工作人员小组的调查结果后，工作人员得出结论，应优先将患者门户网站扩展到他们的咨询服务中。
本研究表明，将患者门户网站扩展到心理健康护理领域具有价值，尤其是扩展到低风险服务中。未来的研究应探索通过患者门户网站支持心理健康服务分诊和预约流程的机会。
