How To Choose A Patient Portal For Your Telehealth Practice
Your step-by-step patient portal selection roadmap
The healthcare industry has undergone significant changes over the past several years, primarily driven by advancements in technology and shifting patient expectations.
Nowadays, healthcare consumers expect to connect with their providers digitally, schedule appointments online, and access their medical information from their devices. Therefore, if you're running a telehealth practice, your patient portal isn't just another tech tool; it’s a primary touchpoint where patients interact with your business on an ongoing basis.
The truth is, not all patient portals are created equal. Some feel clunky, outdated, and aren’t user-friendly, while others lack customization and are packed with features no one actually needs.
So, in this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about how to choose a telehealth patient portal.
First, clarify your practice and patient needs
Whether you decide to work with a vendor or build your telehealth patient portal in-house, you must determine what you need this tool to do. Think of it like the central nervous system of your virtual care practice. It must be robust, compliant, and an extension of your unique business, as it can influence patient experience and operational efficiency.
For example, one study found that increased frequency of patient portal use was linked to greater patient-centered communication. Researchers also noted it boosts patient engagement, advances healthcare quality, and enhances psychosocial outcomes in medical care.
Selecting the best telehealth patient portal for your company isn’t just about its features. It’s about ensuring it works with your processes, patient population, and long-term goals.
Do some research before you begin:
Who are your patients?
Ideally, your patient portal should be intuitive for everyone; however, you may need to prioritize certain features based on the needs of your target audience. Consider the following examples:
The tech-savvy millennial: This group may prefer a mobile-first design that allows for seamless appointment booking, secure messaging for quick questions, and the ability to easily upload documents.
The family caregiver: They may need to manage multiple family members' accounts from a single login and want a consolidated view of each person's health history.
The senior patient: Older adults might desire a simpler interface with larger text and high-contrast colors.
What is your speciality?
Additionally, you’ll want a flexible solution that can be customized to your specialty. For instance, a primary care practice's workflow may differ from that of a mental health clinic.
The former might involve sending a pre-visit symptom questionnaire and requiring patients to update their medication list. In comparison, the mental health clinic workflow might allow therapists to send digital journals or mood trackers to patients between visits.
What are your company’s growth plans?
A brick-and-mortar clinic may seek to capture low-complexity patient visits from its local area to improve efficiency. At the same time, a telehealth-only practice may plan to offer services nationwide from the outset. Both are scaling, but the volume and geographical scope wouldn't be the same.
You need a solution that is built for growth and that can easily accommodate adding new providers, new service lines, and thousands of new patients without any disruption.
Should you buy or build your patient portal?
This is one of the most important questions leaders will have to answer. On the one hand, the idea of developing a custom portal is appealing, as you can customize it however you’d like; yet, partnering with a vendor can accelerate your go-to-market plan. It’s crucial to weigh the pros and cons of both building from scratch and implementing a pre-built solution.
Developing an in-house patient portal
Pros:
Complete customization
Full brand ownership
No vendor dependencies
Can be designed to integrate into existing systems
Cons:
Slow time to market
High risk of failure
Massive upfront investment
Burdened with ongoing tech and security maintenance
Greater complexity due to regulatory compliance
Partnering with a telehealth patient portal vendor
Pros:
Proven reliability
Faster deployment
Lower upfront costs
Rapid service line expansion
Can offload operational burden from staff
Cons:
Dependent on the vendor's technology
If switching vendors, potential data migration challenges
What features should your patient portal have?
The best patient portal for your telehealth practice is one that streamlines operations and enhances the patient experience.
Some important features to consider:
Intuitive user interface
Automated forms with logic
Asynchronous care capabilities
Secure two-way communication
Payment and billing functionalities
On-demand and scheduled video visits
Ability to implement customized workflows
Direct connection to E-prescribing systems
Integrated appointment and scheduling management
What security controls should your patient portal have?
Security and compliance aren’t optional; they’re the foundation of patient trust and can result in serious legal repercussions if not done correctly. A compliant patient portal has the following boxes checked:
Implements HIPAA-security safeguards
Has audit trails and access controls
Provides robust authentication, like strong, unique passwords
Performs regular testing to identify and fix vulnerabilities
Has encrypted protected health information (PHI) at rest and in transit
Keep in mind that security measures also affect business profitability and sustainability. For instance, between 2001 and 2022, the average cost of data breaches to healthcare organizations was $10.1 million.
What should you look for in a patient portal vendor?
If you decide to buy, there are a few things to consider when selecting your vendor. Remember, this is a company you’ll likely be working with for years. Selecting the wrong partner can create significant risks and setbacks for your virtual care practice.
To select the right vendor the first time, look for these five key factors before signing on the dotted line:
Scalability: The best telehealth patient portal is built for growth, and not just your current patient volume.
A white-label solution: A good vendor will let you customize their portal to make it look and feel like it's actually yours, complete with your logo, colors, and overall brand identity. Creates a more seamless patient experience.
Designed for integration: API support and documented audit trails to reduce manual entry (which can reduce error).
Dedicated customer support: Seek a vendor that provides comprehensive onboarding, staff training, and ongoing support.
Proactive security and compliance: They should perform regular security audits, require multi-factor authentication (MFA), and sign a Business Associate Agreement.
What key platform integrations should leaders consider?
The power of a patient portal lies in how well it connects with your current tools. Essential integrations include:
EHR: We’d consider this the most critical integration, as it should be a bidirectional sync, meaning when a patient updates their information in the portal, it automatically populates their chart in the EHR.
Billing software: This connection enables direct claim submission, secure payment processing, and additional features through the portal.
Remote patient monitoring (RPM) tools: Enables providers to monitor patient health and intervene when necessary.
Make OpenLoop your next digital health partner
The patient portal is the strategic foundation of your virtual business, so you’ll need an infrastructure that can grow with you. And that’s where we come in. At OpenLoop, we provide white-label infrastructure solutions that support, grow and scale with your organization. From provider staffing to end-to-end RCM and billing services, we are the digital back-door powering some of the top telehealth companies.
Ready to learn more? Contact us today!
Your Patient Portal Checklist
A summarized checklist of features that are important to consider when looking to adopt a virtual-first patient portal for your telehealth practice or company.
Core visit experience
Self-service scheduling with time-zone support & easy reschedule/cancel
Pre-visit digital intake (demographics, insurance card capture, e-consents)
ID verification + capture patient location at check-in (licensure/emergency)
Virtual waiting room with live status (queue position, ETA)
One-click video visit (browser/app) with device/network test & audio-only fallback
Interpreter on demand & closed captions
Asynchronous care & communication
Secure messaging with care team (text + photo/video uploads)
Refill requests, e-visits, structured symptom forms
Broadcast + 1:1 updates (reminders, prep, follow-ups)
Care continuity & clinical data
Visit summaries, care plans, post-visit instructions
Lab orders/results with plain-language explainers & trends
ePrescribing with pharmacy finder, delivery, prior-auth status
Referrals & care-team directory; share records with PCP
Remote patient monitoring integrations (data view & alerts)
Payments & coverage
Eligibility checks & real-time cost estimates
In-portal payments (cards, HSA/FSA), copay, statements/receipts
Superbill download for out-of-network
Privacy, safety & compliance
HIPAA-grade security (MFA, RBAC, encryption, audit logs)
Supports Cures Act interoperability (e.g., FHIR-based APIs and USCDI) and avoids information blocking under 45 CFR Part 171 (subject to exceptions).
Granular privacy controls (e.g., sensitive visit masking)
Minor/proxy access & caregiver permissions
Crisis/911 escalation workflows with location pass-through
Accessibility & inclusivity
WCAG 2.2 AA (screen-reader, high contrast, larger text)
Multi-language UI; low-bandwidth mode
Mobile-first; offline-safe forms (resume after drop)
Engagement & retention
Multi-channel reminders (SMS/email/push) & smart nudges (For SMS/voice, confirm TCPA compliance)
Education library tied to diagnosis/plan; progress tracking
Satisfaction surveys/NPS with service-recovery routing
Operations & support
In-portal live chat + searchable help center
Status page for platform uptime
Configurable notification preferences (what/when/how)
*This content is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. For guidance on your specific situation, please consult a licensed attorney.