(Poster 137) Usage of Electronic Patient Portals at an Urban Academic Urogynecology Practice

Objectives: To determine the extent of electronic patient portal utilization and factors associated with electronic portal use amongst patients establishing care at an academic urogynecology clinic. Secondarily, we sought to identify characteristics associated with completion of pre-visit intake questionnaires comprised of pertinent medical history and patient-reported outcome questionnaires, which were sent and completed via the electronic portal.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted amongst urogynecology patients who established care between January 2017 and October 2024 and had at least one subsequent follow-up visit. Data were abstracted regarding demographics, electronic portal enrollment status, and completion of new-patient intake questionnaires distributed via the electronic platform. Bivariate analyses comparing baseline demographic variables and portal status were performed. A multivariable logistic regression model was then performed to determine the associations between demographic variables of interest and patient portal use. Covariates of interest were defined a priori (age, race, ethnicity, primary language, census income estimate according to zip code, insurance type) and also included variables in bivariate analyses with P-value < 0.1. For the secondary analysis of intake questionnaire completion, a similar analysis was performed on a subset of English-speaking patients who had a new visit on or after July 1, 2023. This corresponded to the date when the questionnaires were implemented in English at the clinic.

Results: A total of 4,474 patients met inclusion criteria during the study period, with a mean age of 58.3± 16.9) years at their most recent visit. A majority (84.9%;N=3886) of patients were actively enrolled in the patient portal. On multivariable analyses, non-English language, income, and BMI were significantly associated with being active with the patient portal (P < 0.05). In our analysis of the subset of English-speaking patients who were sent intake questionnaires after July 2023 (n = 204), fewer than half (42.1%; N=86) completed the intake questionnaire via the patient portal prior to their visit. None of the demographic variables of interest were found to be statistically associated with completion of the intake questionnaire.

Conclusions: In an urban academic urogynecology practice, patient portal enrollment was associated with income, non-English language status, and BMI. Despite active portal enrollment, only a minority of English-speaking patients completed online intake questionnaires. While no significant demographic variables were associated with questionnaire completion, analyses were limited by small sample size. As clinical care increasingly incorporates digital platforms, addressing technological disparities remains essential to ensure equitable care.