The Impact of Age, Gender, and Insurance on Otolaryngology Patient Portal Use

You might have noticed that online patient portals are becoming more popular, especially since COVID-19 and the 21st Century Cures Act. But are all patients using these tools equally? Studies in other fields show that age, gender, race, and insurance status can affect how often people use patient portals. But what about in otolaryngology? And has the pandemic changed anything?Let's start with age. Older adults might face more challenges with technology. So, they could be less likely to use these portals. But is this true for everyone? Maybe some older adults are tech-savvy! We should also think about gender. Do men and women use these tools differently? And what about race and insurance status? Do they play a role too? The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed many things online, including healthcare. So, it's important to check if more people are using these portals now. But what about the differences between groups? Have they changed, or stayed the same? These are big questions. And the answers could help us understand how to make patient portals work better for everyone.