Withholding Abnormal Test Results?

Abnormal results weren't shared 6% of the time.

How often are patients not informed about abnormal test results? To find out, researchers retrospectively reviewed records for more than 5400 outpatients (age range, 50–69) who were treated at 23 U.S. primary care practices. Randomly selected records were examined for results of 11 blood tests and 3 screening tests (e.g., abnormal mammogram finding, serum potassium level <3.0>5.5 mEq/L). Physicians were given the opportunity to state whether they actually had notified patients but had failed to document that notification.

A total of 1889 abnormal test results were identified; in 117 instances (6%), patients were not notified. Practices with established processes for handling test results (i.e., all results are routed to the responsible physician; physician signs off on all results) had lower failure-to-inform rates than those without such processes, but rates were not lower in clinics with electronic medical record (EMR) systems than in those without such systems.

Comment: In this retrospective study, 6% of the time, patients were not notified about markedly abnormal test results. Notably, practices with established processes for handling test results had lower failure-to-inform rates; the presence of an EMR did not lower this rate.

Jamaluddin Moloo, MD, MPH

Published in Journal Watch General Medicine July 23, 2009Citation(s):Casalino LP et al. Frequency of failure to inform patients of clinically significant outpatient test results.Arch Intern Med 2009 Jun 22; 169:1123.

How Do You Highlight This FAILURE in Your Case?

Med Art & Legal Graphics would use their 40+ years of combined years of graphically representing complex medical situations to create a Timeline which would clearly represent a "What is Told to the Patient" section and a "What is Withheld from the Patient" section. This is a very concise way for the audience to see what was left out of the story. For more information on how to best "Illustrate" your case click here to see Med art's web site.