Suresh, Uday; Ancker, Jessica; Salmi, Liz; Diamond, Lisa; Rosenbloom, Trent; Steitz, Bryan. “Advancing cancer care through digital access in the USA: a state-of-the-art review of patient portals in oncology.” BMJ Oncology, vol. 4, no. 1, 2025, e000432, https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjonc-2024-000432.
In recent years, more and more cancer patients have been using patient portals, which are online platforms where patients can access their health information, communicate with doctors, and manage their care. This review looks at studies published between January 2018 and April 2024 to understand how cancer patients and their caregivers are using these portals, and how the use of these tools affects their care. The review focuses on three main areas: trends in how and why patients with cancer use portals, the specific features of portals that are most helpful in cancer care, and how portal use is linked to cancer-related health outcomes.
The review identified 278 studies, and 82 of them met the criteria to be included in the analysis. The studies explored various aspects, including challenges in access to portals, the increased use of telemedicine through portals, and how patients can easily access their health information. The findings suggest that patient portals are becoming a key tool in helping cancer patients manage their care, though there are still some issues that prevent everyone from using them equally. While the use of portals has grown significantly, there’s still room for improvement in how they support cancer patients, with a clear need for the tools to continue evolving to meet their changing needs.
