The RCPA and the RACGP have warned that the Federal Government’s plan to remove the 7-day delay for pathology and diagnostic imaging reports on My Health Record may lead to misinformation and patient distress.
The colleges say they support sharing healthcare data with patients but argue the current 7-day delay allows doctors to help patients understand and interpret results in a safe and caring setting.
They are particularly concerned about the release of genetic test results and want the Government to include the groups in any future consultation.
RCPA President, Associate Professor Trishe Leong, said that while they supported the sharing of information without barriers to access, overall patients still needed to review their results with a specialist.
“The RCPA believes that patients should be fully engaged in managing their care, and access to diagnostic information is part of that management,” she said.
“However, it is critical that if these delays are removed, consumers are advised to review their results with their GP or other specialist and are also provided with evidence-based information on pathology testing such as Pathology Tests Explained, and contact details for general support services, such as GPs and Lifeline.
“Whilst the RCPA acknowledges that there is potential for improved care through the quicker provision of results and less patient anxiety, we must consider the unintended consequences of a patient failing to return for a clinical appointment because results are within the normal range or misinterpreted.
“This significantly impacts patient care and requires a system for monitoring. Similarly, the impact on healthcare providers needs to be considered, with increased communication from patients to the referring healthcare providers or directly to the laboratories, wanting to know the meaning of an unexpected abnormal result.”
RACGP president Dr Nicole Higgins said the delay gave GPs, specialists and patients a vital opportunity to review and schedule appropriate follow-up with their patients to discuss results.
“We strongly support patients having access to their results and medical history. GPs and other specialists don’t seek to be medical gatekeepers, but we are there to support our patients to understand their results, treatment options and next steps,” she said.
“Much of the terminology entered into My Health Record is written for doctors, by doctors, and must be understood in the context of a patient’s medical history and other health factors and conditions.
“Patients who have worked with a doctor to understand their health are better supported to know what information applies to them, and what does not. If this change does go ahead, at the minimum it should not happen without an education campaign for patients so they can understand the risks of interpreting their own results.”
Both colleges recommend some diagnostic tests are considered for exclusion if the 7-day rule is removed, including anatomical pathology and cytopathology reports, which are often discussed at multidisciplinary team meetings to determine an appropriate clinical path, and genetic test results which often carry broader, more long-term, and more complex implications than other pathology results.