Usability of a Patient Portal in Patients with Digital Support Needs: A Think Aloud Study

Patient portals are increasingly used in healthcare as they provide access to health information and support self-management. However, their usability largely depends on patient's digital health literacy. This study assesses patient portal usability among participants with low-digital literacy, by performing concurrent in-situ think-aloud sessions. Furthermore, this study aims to provide insight into how these patients might be best assisted. Participants struggled most with visibility of system status. Participants who received oral instructions experienced less usability problems than those who received paper or no instructions. Embedding such support in practice might improve health care accessibility.