Do doctors deliver bad news over the phone?

Doctors do not generally give bad news over the phone because they want to explain the diagnoses, treatment and next steps. They or their staff can be a bit insensitive.

How long does it take for doctor to call with lab results?

Many test results are available within 24 hours, and some are even available within several hours. A small number of test results may not be available for a few days. Your health care team is eager to provide test results to you as soon as they are available.

Do I have a right to my lab results?

Yes. Under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, an individual has a general right to access, upon request, PHI about the individual in a designated record set maintained by or for a clinical laboratory that is a covered entity. A test result or test report is only part of the designated record set a clinical laboratory may hold.

Why would a doctor call you after a blood test?

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.

Why do doctors ring after blood test?

Blood test results Some test results will be ready the same day or a few days later, although others may not be available for a few weeks. You’ll be told when your results will be ready and how you’ll be given them. Sometimes, receiving results can be stressful and upsetting.

Why would a doctor not give test results over the phone?

The doctor has a list of patients waiting for him/her. The doctor cannot be sure it’s really you on the other line. The doctor may want to discuss results further that may take longer over the phone. The doctor wants to reexamine you for a follow up and discuss your results.

Should I wait to go to the doctor after bad lab results?

That depends on the lab result and what you define as bad. If you have a mildly elevated LDL or some glucose in your urine then you are probably OK waiting. If your platelet count is critically low or your WBC is massively elevated, it would probably be better if the doc calls you and sees you quicker.

How long to wait for blood test results to come back?

If the lab results show that you are likely to die or become seriously ill between now and your appointment a phone call is probably a good idea. And I am sure any office worth its salt would be doing this. Otherwise a 2 week wait will probably be OK. Trust me, you don’t want the doctor to call you about test results, that’s never a good thing.

How long do doctors take to order lab results?

Some physicians prefer to hold lab results until you come in to visit them, but most of the time I have found that if you call the offices a week before you are due for a visit, they will order labs so that the More and more patient portals allow patients to access any labs that they have.

What do you do when your doctor wants to get results?

Ask when results will be ready and set a reminder to call the doctor’s office that day or the next. Make a follow-up appointment with the doctor beforehand if the results might be something you need to discuss. Double-check that the imaging center or lab has your doctor’s correct information on file.

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