Doctors Often Fail to Inform Patients of Abnormal Test Results
No news is not always good news. A study of office procedures among primary care physicians found that more than 7% of significant findings in test results were never reported to patients. At two large academic medical centers, 23% of abnormal test results were not mentioned to patients.
Researchers surveyed 19 independent primary care practices and four practices based at academic medical centers, examining the records of more than 5,400 patients. Out of 1,889 abnormal test results, doctors failed to notify patients 135 times. Researchers also found that practices using electronic records had the lowest failure to inform rates, while practices using a combination of electronic and paper records had the highest failure rates.
The study’s authors suggested five simple steps that could significantly reduce errors:
1. Routing test results to the proper doctor;
2. Having the doctor sign off on results;
3. Informing patients of the results;
4. Documenting that patients have been informed; and
5. Telling patients to contact the office after a certain period if they have not received their test results.
Patients can also protect themselves from failure to diagnose and medical negligence by contacting their doctor’s office if they have not been notified of test results within a few weeks of a test. Read more about medical malpractice and hospital negligence.