Patients Often Not Informed of Abnormal Test Findings

Posted on August 27, 2009 in Health & Medicine

Don’t assume you’re in the clear if you don’t hear back from the doctor’s office. A new study shows that in one out of 14 abnormal test results, the patient was not informed of the irregularity.

Researchers looked at more than 5,400 patient records from 23 physician groups to come to this conclusion. Some of the practices had impeccable records, while others failed to alert patients to abnormal results 25 percent of the time.

To stay on top of your health, be persistent. Even if you don’t receive the dreaded phone call, check back within two weeks of a test to make sure you hear the results. Despite electronic record keeping, information can sometimes get swept through the rug after it’s faxed or phoned in. Researchers found that practices that used paper-based processes to transmit test results were more successful. Offices using both paper and electronic records were less likely to inform patients of bad results.

The study authors concluded that an appropriate physician should sign off on test results. The office should then contact patients, regardless of the outcome. Patients should call back within a certain time period as a backup plan.

The study was founded by the California Healthcare Foundation and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.