patient portal display test results when bad

Can patient portals automatically notify patients of abnormal test results?

Two recent studies examined the benefits and risks associated with patient electronic access to test results. A 2013 survey of patients at Kaiser Permanente, an integrated health care organization, found that a large percentage of patients who had used their portal to access a laboratory result in the last year experienced primarily positive feelings when viewing …

Should you get your test results through a portal?

Finally, test results in the portal need to be easily understood by laypeople or displayed using simplified medical terms. For example, a portal might display elevated cholesterol as “↑LDL cholesterol,” or even just display the number without a flag, whereas a health app may label it as “bad cholesterol.”

What happens if a test result is uninterpreted?

The patient portal and abnormal test results, Giardina et al. 149 Patient Experience Journal, Volume 2, Issue 1 - Spring 2015 improve health outcomes.7,8 However, there is little evidence drawn from controlled studies indicating that personal health record access supports improvement of patient empowerment9 or improves health outcomes.10,11

What can be done to improve the accuracy of patient portals?

Jul 06, 2016 · The patient reviewed the result via MyChart and read the abnormal report findings. This occurred before the patient was phoned with the result. Investigation revealed that the provider reviewed the scan and selected Reviewed/To MyChart before contacting the patient with the results. Other cases of MyChart result release adversely affecting patient care have been …

What is an abnormal test result?

Positive or abnormal, which means the disease or substance was found. Inconclusive or uncertain, which means there wasn't enough information in the results to diagnose or rule out a disease. If you get an inconclusive result, you will probably get more tests.3 Dec 2020

Will the doctor call if blood test results are bad?

If a result is sufficiently abnormal to cause any immediate medical concerns the doctor will contact you themselves. If a doctor wants to discuss a test result where there is no significant level of concern, they may ask reception to book you in for a routine telephone call.

Do doctors contact you about test results?

Do healthcare providers call you if test results show bad news? They may. If results are concerning, they may call you or have a receptionist call to schedule an appointment. 4 A healthcare provider may also call to assure you everything is okay or discuss any needed follow-up tests.23 Oct 2021

What information can be accessed through a patient portal?

The features of patient portals may vary, but typically you can securely view and print portions of your medical record, including recent doctor visits, discharge summaries, medications, immunizations, allergies, and most lab results anytime and from anywhere you have Web access.

Would a doctor tell you bad news over the phone?

Prepare for the consultation Ideally, bad news should be given in person and not over the telephone. It may be appropriate to ask a receptionist to call the patient and make an appointment. The patient may like to be accompanied by a spouse or someone close to them.19 Aug 2021

Should I be worried about my blood test results?

Always check with your healthcare provider about what your blood test results mean. In most cases, there's no need to worry about getting an abnormal result. However, if the results are concerning, talk to your physician immediately. Also, try to stay calm.

Do doctors order unnecessary tests?

In their own practice, almost half (47 percent) say patients request an unnecessary test or procedure at least once a week. (See Figure 2.) Three in ten (30 percent) physicians say this happens at least several times a week.1 May 2014

How often are blood tests wrong?

By this definition, failures in laboratory tests certainly qualify. Lab test failures contribute to delayed or wrong diagnoses and unnecessary costs and care. For context, a 2014 study estimated that diagnostic errors happen about 12 million times per year in U.S. outpatients.9 May 2016

What blood test takes 2 weeks for results?

Diabetes blood test (Hba1c) – 1 week. Rheumatoid Arthritis blood test – 1 week. Coeliac blood test (endomyssial antibody) – 2 weeks.

What are the security issues associated with engaging patients through an online patient portal?

Some of these risks include: reliance on the patient portal as a sole method of patient communication; patient transmission of urgent/emergent messages via the portal; the posting of critical diagnostic results prior to provider discussions with patients; and possible security breaches resulting in HIPAA violations.1 Mar 2021

What makes the patient portal different from a PHR?

The Portal is controlled by the source system (EMR/EHR/Hospital). On the other hand, the Personal Health Record (PHR) is more patient centric, is controlled by a patient or family member, and may or may not be connected to a doctor or hospital (i.e. it may be tethered or untethered).6 Sept 2012

What is portal message?

Portal messages are a secure, optional messaging tool built into the patient portal. Patient portal users can exchange messages with their pediatric practice, and the practice can receive and send portal messages with PCC EHR or pocketPCC.1 Jul 2021

How many benefits do portals provide?

Similarly, healthcare providers can achieve at least three big benefits from patients’ portal-usage: greater efficiencies, cost-savings and improved health outcomes — again, only if patients use their portals. But with only 20% of patients regularly relying on portals, many benefits have been unattainable.

Why are portals so complicated?

A big issue for many users is that portals are simply too complicated for at least two opposite kinds of users: those who have low computer literacy, and those who are so computer savvy that they expect the simplicity of an Uber or Instagram app to get a test result or appointment with a click or two.

Is the portal concept slow?

Acceptance of the portal concept continues to be slow, especially within physicians’ offices and small to middle size hospitals. Though these providers implemented portals via their Meaningful Use / MIPS incentives, portals are often not treated as a central communications tool. Patient engagement? Yes…a laudable objective for policymakers — but many physicians already lament the deep cuts in their daily patient schedule that have been created by complex EHR-related obligations. The added work of portal interaction has been the opposite of a pot-sweetener, despite touted financial benefits.

Can rapid access replace patient rights?

Rapid access cannot replace patients’ rights to understand. Even if a test result isn’t recognizably negative, a portal presentation of an uninterpreted report can be painful to patients and certainly unproductive.

What is a patient portal?

A patient portal is a website or mobile app through which patients can securely access online parts of their medical records. Often, the portal is a component of the electronic health record used at that hospital/health system, and it may include lab reports, imaging (x-ray) studies, pathology reports, medication lists, and in some cases, doctors’ and hospital notes. In addition, a portal may allow patients to send secure messages to their medical team, request/cancel appointments, refill prescriptions, and pay bills online. Some portals allow doctors to conduct “virtual visits” with their patients online for simple, straightforward conditions like respiratory infections and back pain, although this is not common yet at cancer centers. Patients usually access the portal via their desktop computer and/or smartphone or tablet using a unique user name-password combination.

Why do cancer patients use portals?

What is the impact of portals for patients at cancer centers? Researchers from a university cancer center in Texas found that the three most common reasons patients used the portal were to view test results, to respond to messages from clinic staff, and to request medical advice.

What is portal used for?

Limit your interactions. Portals are best used for short, straightforward questions and messages. Extended back-and-forth exchanges between patients and medical staff are not always effective, as meanings and nuances can be lost online.

How long does it take to answer a patient message?

For example, nurses may review messages first and then pass on those to the doctor that require his/her input, and this process may take a minimum of 48 to 72 hours. Keep the timing of test results in mind.

Can you see your cancer test results before your doctor sees them?

Keep the timing of test results in mind. Depending on how the portal is configured, patients may be able to view their results before their doctor sees them . Since some results reflect important information about the cancer status, such as tumor markers, it is important for patients and doctors to discuss these timing issues in advance.

Can you share your password with others?

Don’t share your password with others, and be sure to choose a password that is secure. For example, don’t use the same password for all online sites or use a password easy to guess like a pet’s name. Don't be pressured into using a portal if you aren’t comfortable.

Do you have to have a doctor's note on a portal?

Portals usually contain lab test results and imaging reports, but doctor’s notes are rarely included. However, patients have a right to receive copies of all of their medical records, including their visit notes, but this request may have to go through the medical records department. Keep your information safe and protected.

How many portals do patients need?

A patient should only need one portal – a comprehensive one maintained by his or her primary care physician (PCP), who shares data with all those specialists and hospitals, gets timely updates, and is great at keeping records.

Why are portals important?

Yet, if we can get patients to use them, portals have a lot of potential benefits. Allowing patients to access their records can make them more informed. Asynchronous communication can be more efficient.

Is it better to send test results electronically?

Sending test results electronic ally can be more timely . However, the current state of the art needs work. A big problem is that portals are not standardized and often don't talk to each other.

Why do people use patient portals?

Patient portals now provide people with medical test results before they see their doctor. This helps inform, but it can also lead to anxiety or confusion. Over the past decade, a seismic shift in how people access their medical information, including sensitive test results, has taken place. Rather than waiting for their doctor to call, or ...

What percentage of people use portals?

Anywhere between 25 percent and 73 percent of people use these patient portals set up by their medical practices, health systems, and hospitals, according to reports. Federal policy encourages portal use as a way to help people better manage their health and to improve patient safety.

What is Jack Pirozzi's disease?

Jack Pirozzi, a 72-year-old retiree in St. Louis, was diagnosed a year and a half ago with rheumatoid arthritis , a chronic autoimmune disease. He was put on a medication regimen that included methotrexate, a powerful immune system suppressant. As a result, Pirozzi must have regular blood tests.

Does Pirozzi have a blood test?

As a result, Pirozzi must have regular blood tests. His medical team explained that they would send him the results through his health system’s patient portal. But Pirozzi told Healthline that he found the experience frustrating and upsetting. “I’m not a scientist and I don’t know what these numbers mean,” he said.

What is the UDI number?

The Implantable Devices section lists the implantable devices for a patient, if applicable. The UDI (unique device identifier ) or Device ID number is listed in the UDI or Device ID column and the description of the implantable device is listed in the Description column.

What is the immunization section?

The Immunizations section contains the vaccinations a patient has received or declined. The date the immunization was given or offered is listed in the Date column and the corresponding type of immunization is listed in the Immunization column. If the immunization was refused by the patient, Declined displays to the right of the immunization name.

What is the medication list in the Medications and Allergies section?

The Medication List includes the name of the Medication, the Strength, Directions for taking the medication, and an Education column.

How to send a patient's health record to a different provider?

The health record can be sent using Secure Email, also known as Direct Email, and can only be sent to providers (doctors’ offices) that have a Secure Email account. Secure Emails are encrypted to protect the content from being read by anyone other than the intended recipient. The health record can also be sent using a public email address with a password protected attachment.

What are the tabs in the Patient Portal?

The Patient Portal is organized into four tabs across the top of the page under the header: Appointments, Health Record, Messages/Uploaded Images, and Profile. Each tab contains specific patient information, as well as additional action buttons for that tab. The selected tab displays in light blue.

Where is the action button on the patient portal?

This action button allows the user to send a secure message to the provider (doctor’s office). This button is located at the top right of all four tabs of the Patient Portal.

Where is the patient portal header?

The Patient Portal header is the top section of the home page and is visible throughout the website. The current date, time, and the logged in user’s name (patient’s or authorized representative’s name) is listed at the top right.

Why do we need electronic medical records?

Policymakers have long regarded electronic medical records as a way to foster patient engagement and improve patient safety. Studies have found that between 8 and 26 percent of abnormal lab results were not communicated to patients promptly.

Did Maria Esparza have colon cancer?

But in 2016, immediately after extensive abdominal surgery at a hospital several hours from her home in Corpus Christi, Tex., doctors told her they suspected she had developed colon cancer. Confirmation would require further evaluation by a pathologist. Esparza went home and waited, checking her portal repeatedly.

Who said "we're not doctors"?

Esparza said she intercedes by reminding participants, “we’re not doctors.”. One way for a physician to provide guidance, said Stanford’s Schapira, is for doctors to negotiate in advance, particularly if they are concerned the news might be bad.

Who is Lidia Schapira?

Breast cancer specialist Lidia Schapira is an associate professor at the Stanford University Medical Center and editor in chief of Cancer.net, the patient information website of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Does portal use increase anxiety?

That echoes a 2016 study led by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh. These scientists found that in addition to engaging patients, portal use may increase anxiety and lead to more doctor visits.

Is Devitt's white blood count abnormal?

Devitt’s white blood cell count and several other tests were flagged as abnormal. Beyond the raw numbers, there was no explanation. “I got really tense and concerned,” said Devitt, 39, a manager of data analysis who lives in New Orleans.