Hester Hill Schnipper Photo courtesy of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
IN APRIL 2021, a federal rule went into effect that requires hospitals and providers to give patients access to results within their electronic medical records. That means patients could see results after a radiologist reviews their scan and signs off on their report, but before the doctor who ordered the test gets a chance to look.
The rule, which is part of the 21st Century Cures Act of 2016, ensures patients have timely access to their medical information through their patient portal, but this near-immediate access can come with downsides—particularly if scans or blood test results contain bad news.
The following tips can help you decide how you will handle this unfettered access to your medical information:
1) It takes enormous self-control not to read test results or visit notes after an office appointment. Before you log on to your portal, stop and consider what information you could learn—and whether it would be helpful for you to learn it right away.
2) If you are not comfortable getting results from the portal, talk with your doctor to see if there is any way for you to delay receiving those results until a doctor or nurse is able to call you. Some people decide to ignore email alerts about results and wait to go over the findings at their next doctor’s appointment.
3) Having access to your results and reports can give you time to review the information and come up with thoughtful questions prior to your doctor’s appointment.
4) Reading test results or pathology reports can be confusing and even terrifying. Most of us do not have sophisticated medical backgrounds and cannot interpret the unfamiliar language without the help of a physician or nurse. If you are trying to interpret findings, be sure to look up unfamiliar words by using reputable sources like the National Cancer Institute or the American Cancer Society.
5) If you find yourself checking your portal every half hour to get news of your results, try to distract yourself and stay busy with other activities so you can mostly move along with your day.
6) If the results are disappointing, remind yourself that your doctor can help you understand the reports, explain the situation, and discuss possible strategies or new treatments.
7) If you are uncomfortable sitting alone with difficult information, ask a friend or partner to keep you company while you access the results.
8) You may prefer to use the portal to get results because it allows you access at home on your own terms.
9) While news of the results may come quickly to your inbox, it may take time for your doctor to respond to your inquiries. Call the doctor’s office to share that you received the results and would like to schedule an appointment or call. (Message exchanges on a portal typically are meant for nonurgent communication.)
10) Know yourself and your own needs. There is no right or wrong way to manage access to this information. There is only what is the best way for you.
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