Case Study:
Building a Secure, Compliant Customer Portal for Medical Record Requests Using Salesforce
Tools Used: Salesforce Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Experience Cloud (Community Portal), Custom Case Management, Automated Verification, Secure Document Delivery, Communication Integrations (Email, Fax, SMS), Audit Trails, Reporting
Situation
The Challenge: Fragmented Processes for Medical Record Requests
A healthcare organization managing medical record requests struggled with disconnected tools and manual workflows that introduced inefficiencies and compliance risks. Requests for patient information often came via multiple channels, including web portals, email, phone, and physical mail, complicating tracking and communication.
Key challenges included:
- Manual patient verification and identity checks creating delays and risk
- Inconsistent capture and management of authorization forms and disclosures
- Fragmented communication channels with patients, attorneys, and third parties
- Inability to easily track case status, priority, or assign responsibility among release coordinators
- Lack of unified visibility into request activity, audit trails, and compliance reporting
- The need to securely deliver sensitive medical records through multiple delivery methods including secure portals, encrypted email, fax, or physical mail
Industry: 

Healthcare
Location:
United States
Services Delivered: 

Salesforce Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Experience Cloud (Community Portal), Custom Case Management, Automated Verification, Secure Document Delivery, Communication Integrations (Email, Fax, SMS), Audit Trails, Reporting
The Turning Point: Uniting Sales, Service, and Customer Communication in One Salesforce Platform
The organization partnered with a Salesforce implementation team to design and build an integrated solution unifying patient requests, verification, case management, document delivery, and compliance reporting in Salesforce.
The goals were to:
- Streamline intake through a secure portalÂ
- Automate initial verification against backloaded patient demographic data
- Empower release coordinators with a centralized queue and case management tools
- Facilitate two-way communication via portal, secure email, and managed fax
- Maintain comprehensive audit trails and enforce encryption for data protection
- Provide flexible workflows to support multiple requestor types (patients, third parties, attorneys)
- Deliver robust dashboards for tracking case milestones, workloads, and compliance metrics
The Solution: A Fully Integrated Salesforce Ecosystem for Medical Record Release
Secure Portal & Request Intake
A Salesforce Experience Cloud portal provides a user-friendly interface for patients and authorized third-parties to submit medical record requests with essential verification fields and license documentation uploads. The portal tracks request types, delivery methods, and request origins and dynamically adjusts visible form fields based on requestor classification.
Automated Verification & Identity Management
The system compares submitted data against demographic records imported from external health data archives. Initial verification automatically validates key fields, flagging requests for manual review if discrepancies arise. Future phases may introduce AI or third-party API verification for enhanced identity checks.
Centralized Case Management & Workflow Automation
Requests generate cases routed to release coordinators using prioritization queues. Coordinators can communicate securely with requestors via the portal or email, send authorization forms, require additional documentation, and manage case statuses, milestones, and escalations. Cases include audit trails and encryption for sensitive information.
Document Handling & Secure Delivery
Medical records are generated as PDFs from trusted archive systems, uploaded to Salesforce, and attached to respective cases. Delivery options include secure portal download, encrypted email, managed fax, and traditional mail. Each delivery method is tracked for confirmation, maintaining compliance and auditability.
Communications & Integration
Multi-channel communications leverage built-in Salesforce capabilities combined with third-party integrations like email-enabled fax and SMS for two-way dialog. Communication logs are stored alongside cases, ensuring full transparency and coordinated follow-up.
Reporting & Compliance
Custom dashboards provide leadership with insights into case volumes, aging metrics, requestor types, and resolution times. Reports support audit requirements and regulatory compliance, including monitoring authorization status and delivery confirmations.
THE RESULT:
A Streamlined, Compliant Medical Record Request Process on Salesforce
| Before Sales Cloud Implementation | After Salesforce-Powered Solution |
|---|---|
| Requests received via disconnected channels (email, phone, mail) | Unified portal intake with multi-channel request logging |
| Manual identity verification prone to error and delays | Automated verification against backloaded demographic data |
| Authorization forms managed manually with inconsistent capture | Digitally generated, attached, and managed authorization forms |
| Fragmented communication across multiple systems | Centralized, secure communication through portal, email, and fax |
| No unified case management, tracking, or prioritization | Robust case queues and workflows with role-based assignments |
| Lack of audit trails and compliance visibility | Full audit history with encryption and compliance reports |
| Delivery by manual upload or vulnerable email | Multiple secure delivery options with tracking and confirmation |
CONCLUSION
Impact and Future Vision
This Salesforce implementation transformed medical record release from a fragmented, manual process into a secure, automated, and compliant workflow that improves patient experience, reduces risk, and increases operational efficiency.
Looking ahead, the organization plans to explore:
- AI-based automated identity verification integration
- Enhanced portal branding and user experience improvements
- Extended automation for case escalations and SLA management
- Broader integration with health information systems for seamless data access
