Posts Tagged ‘health care’

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.

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this year on a number of health websites that provide helpful and informative tools to people seeking information about health care.  Though doctors and other informed and qualified experts in the medical field often are the most reliable sources of information, the everyday person might not find it easy to simply make a trip to the doctor’s office anytime he or she has a question or concern.  The Internet has made it much easier for people to find their answers online, visiting sites that focus on important consumer health concerns, including prescription drug safety and quality of care, and also allowing interaction with other patients with similar health problems. 

Among the websites recommended by the WSJ article are websites sponsored by government and nonprofit groups, as well some advertiser-supported sites that focus on a wide range of health care issues.  One site, ConsumerMedSafety.org, tracks and analyzes reports of medication errors and safety risks while offering consumers various methods for learning about medication safety.  Another, WhyNotTheBest.org, compares the quality of care at 4,500 hospitals nationwide.  Some sites, such as EverydayHealth.com and HealthCentral.com, link a number of separate sites that all focus on varying interests and health issues.  These sites provide helpful tools to manage health and educate the public on leading health issues.

We at Bernstein Liebhard also seek to educate and provide helpful consumer resources online, ranging from information about relevant health issues such as dangerous drugs and defective medical devices.