Page 47 - 2022 Risk Basics - Surgical Practice

SVMIC Risk Basics: Surgical Practice

 The patient/surrogate is instructed what to do if he or she

does not receive results in the expected timeframe.

 Test results are conveyed sensitively, in a way that is

understandable to the patient/surrogate, and the

patient/surrogate receives information needed to make
well-considered decisions about medical treatment and

give informed consent to future treatment.

 Patient confidentiality is protected regardless of how

clinical test results are conveyed.

 The ordering physician is notified before the disclosure
takes place and has access to the results as they will be

conveyed to the patient/surrogate, if results are to be

conveyed directly to the patient/surrogate by a third
party.

Patient Portals

Practices can make use of electronic patient portals for
notification of normal non-sensitive test results for those

patients who have signed a written consent or electronically

agreed to receive information via the portal. However, it is not
reasonable to assume all patients are able or choose to use the

portal. Practices should have a way of verifying that patients
have accessed the portal before utilizing this as the sole

vehicle of notification of normal non-sensitive results. Patients

who do not use the portal should be notified of normal test
results through another mechanism. It is not acceptable, from

a risk or customer service perspective, to advise patients that
the only method of normal test notification available will be

through the portal.

Page | 47