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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — A new study on patient attitudes suggests the vast majority of patients want their rest results right away. The study, published in Jama Network, was co-authored by Beth Israel Deaconess' Dr. Catherine DesRoches.
DesRoches is the executive director of OpenNotes, a collaborative based at BI that pioneered immediately releasing clinical notes to patients.
The study found that 96% of more than 8,000 patients surveyed wanted immediate test results, even in cases where the results of their tests were abnormal. As context, the study said releasing the results immediately was controversial in the medical field, as patients might misinterpret their results without a doctor to talk it through with them.
The study did say that the online portals used to deliver the information "provide inadequate guidance on how to interpret sensitive or abnormal results," meaning patients who get back an abnormal result don't necessarily have the tools to see what it means.
Surveys returned were mostly from high-educated white women, so the study authors recommended looking at a more diverse crowd before changing industry standards.
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