Table 4.
Emergency physicians’ current practices and responsibilities for direct notification of abnormal results.a
| Emergency physicians’ current practices and responsibilities for direct notification of abnormal results | n (%) | Scale, n (%) | |||
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|
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Always | Sometimes | Never | |
| As part of your usual practice when do you (or staff delegated by you) typically notify patients of abnormal test results? (n=61) | |||||
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|
<24 hours | 50 (82) |
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|
|
|
|
24 hours-1 week | 11 (18) |
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|
|
|
|
>1 week | 0 (0) |
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|
|
| In my practice, there are standardized policies and procedures for notification of abnormal test results (n=61) | |||||
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|
Agree | 46 (75) |
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|
|
|
|
Neither agree nor disagree | 7 (12) |
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|
|
|
|
Disagree | 8 (13) |
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|
|
| The physician who ordered the test or their assigned delegate should be solely responsible for notifying patients of abnormal test results (n=60) | |||||
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|
Agree | 39 (65) |
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|
|
|
|
Neither agree nor disagree | 0 (0) |
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|
|
|
|
Disagree | 21 (35) |
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|
|
| The assigned primary care provider for the care of the patient should always be responsible for following up abnormal test results regardless of who ordered the test (n=60) | |||||
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Agree | 39 (65) |
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|
|
|
|
Neither agree nor disagree | 2 (3) |
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|
|
|
Disagree | 19 (32) |
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|
|
| It is not always clear who should notify patients of abnormal test results (n=60) | |||||
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|
Agree | 26 (43) |
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|
|
|
Neither agree nor disagree | 9 (15) |
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|
|
Disagree | 25 (42) |
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|
| When it comes to make decision about my patients’ care, I am most comfortable when (n=60) | |||||
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I make the decision about treatment | 0 (0) |
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I make the final decision but consider the patient’s opinion | 22 (37) |
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The patient and I share responsibility for deciding treatment | 35 (5) |
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The patient makes the final decision but considers my opinion | 3 (5) |
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The patient makes the final selection with little input from me | 0 (0) |
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|
| Once you have seen an abnormal test result how do you (or staff delegated by you) notify patients? b | |||||
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Phone |
|
25 (47) | 23 (4) | 5 (9) |
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0 (0) | 0 (0) | 44 (100) | |
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|
Fax |
|
1 (2) | 3 (7) | 40 (91) |
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|
Letter |
|
3 (7) | 23 (50) | 20 (44) |
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Wait until next appointment |
|
0 (0) | 5 (12) | 38 (88) |
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|
Schedule a follow-up appointment |
|
3 (7) | 14 (32) | 27 (61) |
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Wait for the patient to contact you |
|
1 (2) | 3 (7) | 40 (91) |
a Abnormal test results are clinically significant abnormal results such as newly elevated blood glucose or chest x-ray with new shadow.
b Not all respondents answered each question.