New Survey Uncovers Potential Gap in Consumer Awareness and Understanding of Healthcare Portal Security Practices

Rhea-AI Summary

LexisNexis Risk Solutions released a survey revealing significant gaps in healthcare portal usage and security awareness. The study, conducted by Ipsos with 3,010 U.S. adults, found that 49% of respondents use healthcare portals less than once monthly, with 16% never using them. A stark contrast in confidence levels showed 49% of non-portal users lack confidence in health data security versus 11% of active users. The survey highlighted a concerning trend where 58% of users prefer username/password authentication, despite evidence suggesting millions of passwords are compromised weekly. Among non-users aged 18-34, 41% cited lack of awareness or access knowledge as barriers. The top reasons for non-usage included preference for human interaction (36%), lack of awareness (27%), and security concerns (17%).

Positive

• Survey provides valuable insights into consumer behavior and preferences in healthcare portal usage
• Large sample size of 3,010 U.S. adults ensures statistical significance with margin of error of +/- 1.79%
• Identifies clear areas for business improvement in healthcare portal adoption and security

Negative

• Low portal utilization with 49% using portals less than once per month
• High security concerns among non-users (49% lack confidence)
• Significant awareness gap, especially among younger users
• Reliance on vulnerable username/password authentication methods

Findings reveal the need for more robust identity verification solutions

ATLANTA, May 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- LexisNexis^® Risk Solutions, a leading provider of data and analytics, published a report today revealing new insights into how frequently consumers use healthcare portals, how they prefer to verify their identity when accessing these portals and how confident they are in the security of their healthcare data.

Based off an Ipsos survey of 3,010 U.S. adults, the findings emphasize the need for healthcare organizations to reduce barriers to portal adoption and implement data security protocols that balance strong identity verification measures with a seamless and engaging user experience. The findings also highlight a need for greater education of data security amongst users, including the importance of the different privacy practices.  

Key Result: Data security is a major factor in improving portal adoption

When respondents were asked about the security of their personal health information within portals, the confidence level varied significantly between those who use a portal compared to those who don't.

• 49% of non-portal users stated they lack confidence in the security of their health data compared to only 11% of portal users.
• 17% of non-portal users said they don't use a portal because they have security concerns.

Key Result: People believe passwords are the most effective way to protect their data

Effective identity verification is central to protecting patient data, yet consumer preferences don't always align with the most secure methods.

• 58% selected usernames and passwords as the most preferred method of identity verification.
• 52% said usernames and passwords are effective in ensuring the security of personal data.

These findings signal a major gap between public perception and the reality of how often usernames and passwords are compromised, with some reports estimating a million passwords are compromised each week.¹

"Our report indicates a disconnect between consumers' perception of effective identity verification and the reality of how often usernames and passwords are compromised," said Adam Mariano, president and general manager of healthcare, LexisNexis Risk Solutions. "This highlights an urgent need for more sophisticated, layered security protocols that enhance user trust and convenience without unnecessarily increasing friction. Concurrently, the findings highlight the need for widespread education around the importance of effective security measures to ensure healthcare companies implement secondary identity verification methods to keep information secure."

Key Result: Portal utilization and awareness are low

When asked how often people access their healthcare portals, nearly half (49%) of respondents said they use a healthcare portal less than once per month, including 16% who have never used one. One barrier to higher adoption is awareness. Among 18 to 34-year-olds who don't use a portal, 41% said they either didn't know they had one or didn't know how to access it.  

Top reasons why non-portal users don't use a portal:

• 36% would rather talk to a human.
• 27% lack awareness.
• 17% have security concerns.

"With the continued expansion of patient portals and digital consumerism in healthcare, key barriers like awareness and security concerns are preventing optimal utilization by consumers," said Mariano. "Healthcare organizations must implement additional measures to improve patient education to ensure successful adoption and increased engagement."

Click here to view the full report.

The survey was conducted by Ipsos from March 17 to March 20, 2025. A sample of 3,010 U.S. adults age 18 or older were interviewed online in English. Surveys were collected as part of a multi-client omnibus program, where questions on various topics are included in one interview and clients share demographic information collected. Data was weighted to represent populations based on targets from U.S. Census. The margin of error is +/- 1.79% percentage points at a 95% confidence level.

About LexisNexis Risk Solutions
LexisNexis Risk Solutions harnesses the power of data and advanced analytics to provide insights that help businesses and governmental entities reduce risk and improve decisions to benefit people around the globe. We provide data and technology solutions for a wide range of industries including insurance, financial services, healthcare and government. Headquartered in metro Atlanta, Georgia, we have offices throughout the world and are part of RELX (LSE: REL/NYSE: RELX), a global provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers. For more information, please visit www.risk.lexisnexis.com and www.relx.com.

Media Contact: 
Syed Shabbir 
Sr. Manager, Corporate Communications 
LexisNexis Risk Solutions  
816-572-7709  
syed.shabbir@lexisnexisrisk.com

¹ https://tech.asu.edu/features/dont_pass_on_password_protection

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SOURCE LexisNexis Risk Solutions

FAQ

What are the key findings of LexisNexis Risk Solutions' 2025 healthcare portal survey?

The survey found that 49% of users access portals less than monthly, 49% of non-users lack confidence in data security, and 58% prefer username/password authentication despite security risks. Additionally, 36% prefer human interaction, 27% lack awareness, and 17% have security concerns.

How many people participated in the RELX LexisNexis healthcare portal survey?

The survey included 3,010 U.S. adults and was conducted by Ipsos from March 17-20, 2025, with a margin of error of +/- 1.79% at a 95% confidence level.

What percentage of non-portal users have security concerns according to the LexisNexis study?

According to the study, 17% of non-portal users stated they don't use healthcare portals specifically due to security concerns.

What is the main reason people don't use healthcare portals according to the 2025 RELX survey?

The primary reason for not using healthcare portals is a preference for human interaction, with 36% of non-users citing this as their main reason.

What percentage of young adults (18-34) are unaware of their healthcare portal access?

41% of 18 to 34-year-olds who don't use portals reported they either didn't know they had one or didn't know how to access it.