Patient portals are touted as a new avenue to improve engagement. But this new method of communication may be the cause of addition stress in the patients, according to the Washington Post.

One problem with portals? When patients receive information before a provider. Without proper explanation, such information can be misinterpreted and cause stress for the patient. Researchers worry how these situations could impact patients and their relationships with providers.

“There is just not enough information about how it should be done right,” said Hardeep Singh, a patient safety researcher at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston and associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine. “There are unintended consequences for not thinking it through.”

Read the full story below: