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Patient Preferences and Physician Practices for Laboratory Test Results Notification

From the Department of Family & Community Medicine, Scott & White Memorial Hospital and Scott, Sherwood, and Brindley Foundation, Texas A&M University System Health Science Center, College of Medicine, Temple, TX

Correspondence: Corresponding author: Samuel N. Forjuoh, MD, DrPH, Department of Family & Community Medicine, Scott & White Santa Fe Center, 1402 West Avenue H, Temple, TX 76504 (E-mail: sforjuoh{at}swmail.sw.org)

Introduction: This study assessed patient preferences and physician practices for laboratory test results notification in ambulatory care.

Methods: Patients aged 18 years or older (n = 728) who were scheduled to see their primary care physician at 5 clinics were offered the opportunity to participate in an anonymous survey during their clinic visit. Their primary care physicians were also invited to participate in a separate online survey. Questions on both surveys included the current method of laboratory test results notification and satisfaction with the method.

Results: The majority of patients reported satisfaction with the current method of notification of normal results—the US mail—which was also the preferred method for notification of normal test results by both patients and physicians. Direct phone contact by the physician was the preferred method for notification of abnormal results by both patients (64%) and physicians (41%). Patients’ preferred method of notification of normal results significantly agreed with the current method (P < .0001), whereas that of abnormal results did not (P = .52).

Conclusions: Our findings indicate that patients and physicians both prefer the US mail for notification of normal laboratory test results and a direct phone call by the physician for notification of abnormal results.

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