Barriers to Using a Patient Portal Among Low-income Patient Populations: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

To qualitatively examine barriers to patient portal use among low-income patients receiving health care services at a federally qualified health center (FQHC).

In-depth interviews were conducted with a volunteer sample of patients recruited from an FQHC. The interviews took 30-45 minutes. As participants arrived for each scheduled interview, written informed consent was obtained and participants completed a brief (5-10 minutes) self-administered survey.

Participants (N =25) were primarily middle-aged (M = 53 years), Black (76%), and male (60%). Over 60% of patients had heard of MyChart, but only 40% were enrolled. Barriers to enrollment and use of MyChart were organized into individual, organizational, and structural levels. Providing low-literacy informational materials and enrollment assistance emerged as potential strategies for increasing MyChart use.

Federally-qualified health centers serving low-income populations should enhance patient portal use by increasing awareness of the benefits of portals and assisting patients with enrollment.