Patients Will Soon Have Direct Access To Their Medical Lab Test Results
Source: Think Progress
American patients will soon be able to get their medical test results directly from the laboratories that perform them under new regulations issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
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The so-called Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) of 1988 govern the rules for accessing laboratory test information. Under the original law, labs in 39 states didnt have to directly provide patients with requested information or were exempt from HIPAA rules granting patients the right to access test results. Instead, patients would have to obtain the information through the doctor or medical provider who ordered the test.
But the new rule, which takes effect in 60 days, would require labs to give patients copies of their test results within a month of the request. Officials say that the change is necessary in a medical landscape where providers are attempting to give Americans more information about their health care through technological advancements such as electronic health records.
According to Modern Healthcare, diagnostic companies are already praising the decision. HHS final rule means millions of Americans who previously could not access their laboratory and other healthcare data from clinical laboratory companies like Quest can now do so without first requiring the approval of their healthcare provider, said Dr. Jon Cohen, senior vice president of Quest Diagnostics.
Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/02/04/3243711/hhs-rule-lab-tests/
lostincalifornia
(3,639 posts)views them
39 states didn't allow this? I am quite surprised
thesquanderer
(12,000 posts)lostincalifornia
(3,639 posts)LittleGirl
(8,292 posts)and get them directly from LabCorp before the doctor calls with my results. I didn't realize that they are changing the law. That's excellent news.
SoapBox
(18,791 posts)LiberalEsto
(22,845 posts)Can't hardly wait!
Walk away
(9,494 posts)I can read them and have plenty of questions for my doctor BEFORE i go to discuss the results with him. Instead of just sitting there and having him tell me numbers and give me pills, I already know the results and have researched what they mean. I think doctors love that you can work as an informed team.
mopinko
(70,337 posts)i always thought it was stupid to make that shit go through the doctor.
Walk away
(9,494 posts)go over the charges to your insurance company and compare all of your previous test to see how different levels have changed over the months and years..
jsr
(7,712 posts)gwheezie
(3,580 posts)ever since we got our new computer system. Each patient is discharged with written instructions of how to start an account to access all their medical records, can also make appointments, email questions to the MD or NP and get their Rx renewed. Information does not have to be approved by the MD 1st, you can also print out ekg's, radiology results etc.