Data from the past year reveals that 65% of individuals accessed their patient information online at least once, an increase from 57% in 2022. According to ASTP/ONC, engagement is even higher among those managing chronic conditions or recent cancer diagnoses.
There has been a significant shift toward active, continuous self-management of health and wellness among patients, according to the U.S. Health and Human Services’ Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy (ASTP) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC).
A new report drawing on ASTP/ONC data shows that patient portal use has more than doubled since the pre-pandemic level of 15% in 2019, with over one-third of individuals (34%) now considered frequent users, accessing their electronic health records (EHRs) six or more times in the past year.
Why it matters
Findings from the latest Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 7), released by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in March, reveal that 77% of individuals nationwide were offered online access to their health information in 2024, up from 73% in 2022.
The annual, nationally representative NCI survey aims to understand how the public accesses cancer-related information. Researchers from ASTP/ONC routinely analyze this data to examine how patients with cancer, survivors, and others engage with health information.
“Our data also indicate that individuals are accessing their records online more frequently,” wrote ASTP/ONC researcher Chelsea Richwine on July 2 in the first post of a new HealthITbuzz series, Digital Dividends, which will explore healthcare delivery innovations driven by HHS’s digitization efforts.
Richwine highlighted that growing online access by patients and caregivers is not only empowering them to make better-informed healthcare decisions, but also reflects the impact of the Cures Act, which required health IT developers to implement secure, standards-based APIs.
“Greater online access and use may be partly attributed to implementation of ASTP/ONC’s Cures Act Final Rule requirements,” she said, noting increased utilization of various portal features over time.
In 2024, the most common uses of patient portals included:
Viewing lab results (90%)
Reviewing clinical notes (80%)
Messaging providers (79%)
Scheduling appointments (77%)
ASTP/ONC’s analysis also showed that engagement was especially high among those managing chronic conditions or recent cancer diagnoses, with 69% and 76%, respectively, accessing their EHRs in the past year. Overall, 34% of HINTS respondents in 2024 were frequent portal users, more than doubling the 2019 pre-pandemic figure.
Additionally, caregiver or proxy use of patient portals has surged, rising from 24% in 2020 to 51% in 2024.
Looking at the bigger picture
Richwine and colleagues, examining broader trends in health IT adoption through sources such as the American Hospital Association Annual Survey IT Supplement (2008-2023) and Surescripts’ e-prescribing data, noted that federal incentives have been pivotal in driving widespread EHR adoption and healthcare digitization, while interoperability initiatives have fostered greater collaboration across healthcare organizations.
Since 2009, EHR use has increased tenfold among hospitals and fivefold among physicians, according to their October report. However, persistent disparities in portal activation rates highlight the ongoing need to expand and enhance access.
The 2024 NCI survey, conducted between March and September, included 7,278 completed responses with a 27.3% response rate, providing robust insight into these trends.
Context for cancer care
Previous research by ASTP/ONC using nearly 10,000 HINTS responses found that patients recently diagnosed with cancer accessed EHRs at roughly twice the rate of cancer survivors or individuals without a cancer history.
Meanwhile, funding concerns loom. The Trump administration’s FY2026 budget proposal included a nearly 38% cut to the NCI, prompting strong reactions.
“ASCO is deeply concerned by the significant proposed funding reductions to the NIH and NCI,” said Dr. Clifford Hudis, CEO of the Association for Clinical Oncology, in a May 30 statement. “If enacted, these cuts would severely hinder the pace and progress of cancer research in the U.S.”
