News-At-A-Glance: Laboratories Seen as Embracing Patient Direct Access to Test Results

In a Sept. 15 story, the Wall Street Journal says that patient access to laboratory test results is a good thing and that labs are providing tools and information to help patients understand their test results. Effective Oct. 6, labs are required to provide direct access to a patient’s test results within 30 days after the test is finalized. Initially, labs viewed the 30-day window as an opportunity to allow physicians to review sensitive test results with patients before the patient sees the test results themselves. Ideally, this is fine, but labs may be ignoring facts gleaned from a 2009 study that says patients do not receive notice of abnormal test results for one in every 14 tests. Many labs have already started providing test results, including the two largest labs in the country. According to the article, some labs are creating special test reports designed to help patients interpret the information in the result. Labs that do not embrace this trend and resist providing meaningful information for patients may be missing an opportunity to get recognized for the value their tests contribute to the health care system and patient care.