Silent Care: Timely Communication in Patient Care by Kim Metz, RN
“I had a kidney infection, and no one told me…………”
How would you feel, as a patient, if your lab work came back abnormal and your primary care provider failed to call you and discuss the results?
How would you feel in a situation where your mom has an x-ray after a fall, and you never receive any update on her condition? Knowing there are no broken bones can relieve our patients’ and family members’ anxiety, but without that confirmation, you’re left worrying and uncertain.
How would you feel if your lab work came back abnormal and indicated a need for a slight lifestyle or medication change that could have improved the trajectory of your health…but no one ever told you?
Imagine how you would feel if you were worried about a serious condition like cancer, due to symptoms such as blood in your urine, and after undergoing a urinalysis it was discovered it was merely a kidney infection, but the information was never relayed to you….
All scenarios are potential experiences our patients may face if we don’t take the time to discuss lab results, x-rays, and other test outcomes with them.
Did you know that according to the National Library of Medicine, 96% of patients prefer to receive test results online immediately, even if their healthcare provider has not reviewed them yet? A subset of respondents experienced feeling increased worry after receiving abnormal results. Therefore, studies prove patients want to be informed- even if it's bad news. In Your Health’s most recent Patient Experience (PX) scorecard from United Healthcare, only 79% of our patients reported receiving follow-up from their primary care provider after blood tests, x-rays, or other exams. We aim for 89%. We can and must do better for our patients.
As a human who takes care of other human beings, or as someone who takes care of those who care for our patients, ask yourself these questions:
Are you teaching your patients how to use the portal?
Are you scheduling a follow up the same day you order a lab or diagnostic test?
Are you taking the time to explain to the patient the reasons behind ordering the test?
Are providers promptly and efficiently alerted when results are posted in the patient's chart?
Have you identified opportunities to improve the process and taken steps to implement or shared those ideas?
Are we improving our patients' experience and reducing their anxiety by providing and reviewing results as quickly as possible?
Our patients need to trust us. They deserve to receive their results in a timely manner. It’s the right thing to do.