The Article in Brief

Management of Test Results in Family Medicine Offices

Nancy C. Elder , and colleagues

Background The management of laboratory test results in primary care offices is an important element of care quality. This study set out to determine and describe components of quality management of test results in primary care practices.

What This Study Found Among 4 family practices studied, 2 offices had written protocols or procedures; no office consistently had or followed office-wide results management practices. Most patients surveyed acknowledged receiving their test results, but fewer medical records documented patient notification, clinician response to the result, and follow-up for abnormal results. An office's level of safety awareness and appropriate adoption of technology were important factors in quality results management.

Implications

• The degree to which primary care offices are aware of safety and appropriately adopt technology are important factors in high-quality test results management and in designing systems that for higher quality of care.
• Because of the complexity of managing test results, multiple aspects of the process must be evaluated to determine quality.