Open Forum

Our historical practice was to have all results reviewed by a provider prior to releasing results to the patient. The Cares Act has changed that.  Results are now auto released.  This does not always the provider the opportunity to review results.  We do have an internal policy for results that states "the physician/APP is ultimately responsible for assuring the appropriate management of test results ordered under their name.  All test ordered will be reviewed by that physician/APP or their designee.    We do not have an RN in every clinic but where we have an RN they are focused wicking away direct patient care that is within their scope of practice, conducting in-person and triage and assisting with narrative messages, that are within their scope of practice and outside of the Medical Assistant scope.  We have RNs in the clinic and those who work from home.

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Often, we receive calls from patients asking about results after hours. In many cases, the clinic has already attempted to contact the patient and left a message to call back. If this happens, it means the provider has already reviewed the results and left instructions for the clinic nurses to share specific information with the patient. As triage nurses, we have access to this information and can relay it directly to the patient.

We occasionally receive calls from patients who have viewed their results in MyChart and are seeking additional information. If the provider has already reviewed the results, we share the available information. However, if the provider has not yet reviewed them, we inform the patient that while we can see the results, we cannot interpret them. We then advise the patient to wait until their provider reaches out with further details.

It's important to note that in today's digital age, patients often have access to their results sooner than we can reach out to them with an interpretation or a plan. This underscores the need for clear communication and managing patient expectations regarding the timing of result interpretations.

Thank you! This is a great summary!