As health systems invest in digital transformation, a common question emerges: Are the tools we have today — our websites, chatbots, SMS outreach, emails, and patient portals — enough to meet the needs of modern healthcare consumers?
Patient portals are critical for managing records and facilitating patient-provider communication. Chatbots and websites help users navigate basic information and access health services. SMS and email are great for campaign-style outreach. But these tools weren’t designed to address broader challenges like personalization, patient acquisition, or engaging users across the entire care journey.
At the same time, most health systems are offering more bespoke services than ever — virtual visits, retail care, remote monitoring, educational assets, and other ancillary services. Many of these services are difficult to access and not integrated into the patient portal. This is especially true for services offered in partnership with third parties or those not booked through the EHR.
By adding an experience orchestration layer on top of these existing components, health systems can connect and coordinate a broader set of services – significantly amplifying their access and engagement across digital channels. Praia Health connects all of a consumer’s interactions with a health system before, during, and after care visits. This platform is not designed to replace the patient portal, but to work alongside and make it more valuable to the patient.
This article outlines the existing capabilities of the patient portal and shows how a consumer experience orchestration platform amplifies the existing functionality.
Patient portals typically serve patients who already have a relationship with a health system. They are used to access test results, view after-visit summaries, or schedule follow-up care. These tasks assume the user knows what they need and how to navigate the system.
For example, most portals notify users when lab results are ready — but they don’t nudge overdue orders or help users schedule lab appointments across system-owned or third-party lab sites.
Praia Health addresses this gap by:
In this way, Praia Health helps guide both new and existing patients through their full care journey — not just their interactions with the EHR.
Most patient portals are built around standard workflows. They present the same options to all users, regardless of context or history. While that makes sense for clinical record access, it limits the ability to engage users with relevant services or reminders.
Praia Health takes a different approach by:
Praia Health implementation has resulted in measurable improvements:
Health systems have made significant investments in point solutions. Often, these tools live outside the portal, require separate logins, and require custom development to be integrated into websites. This limits adoption and increases operational complexity.
Praia Health addresses this by serving as a digital orchestration layer - integrating existing tools (including the patient portal) through deep linking and single sign-on. By providing a consistent experience across system-owned and third-party services, Praia Health reduces the need for expensive, duplicative custom development. This can help increase utilization, improve capacity management, reduce call volumes, and simplify workflows for both patients and staff.
Patient portals play a critical role in managing health records and supporting clinical workflows. Praia Health is not replacing that. Instead, it extends and enhances the portal’s reach by coordinating additional services, personalizing engagement, and reducing friction across the care journey.
Health systems don’t need to replace their patient portals - but they do need a way to connect the growing number of digital services they offer and present them to patients in a cohesive, user-friendly way.
