Guidelines For Reporting Lab Results
To Our Patients

When your Doctor requests that you have lab work done we recommend that you always make a follow-up appointment (2-3 weeks after your blood draw is the soonest) to go over the results.

Distinctions That Each Patient Should Understand:

What we will do:
• Send a copy of your Lab results to you at your request.
• Give a complete report of findings at a scheduled appointment.  Most of the time a report of findings (of lab results) includes a physician interpretation and physician treatment recommendations.  The report of findings (interpretation and treatment recommendations) are given only at a scheduled appointment and never on the telephone.
• A staff member or a physician may call and give very simple lab results (one that does not require interpretation, treatment recommendations or significant discussion) over the phone.

What we will not do:
• Call and have a detailed discussion of lab results over the phone. 
We want to provide comprehensive service to our patients.  Reporting on lab results requires a physician review of the chart, often some level of interpretation and the development of a treatment plan.  This takes time, generates patient questions and generally cannot take place on the phone. 

What we ask of you:
• Please do not call and leave a message for your Doctor to call you and discuss your lab results on the phone.  An appointment must be made to do so.
• Please understand that 90% of the time appointments you have made with your doctor are not dependent on whether lab results have been received.  Appointments can proceed without lab results, as there are many therapeutic issues to discuss.

Lab Results That Require Immediate Communication:  If your Doctor feels you should be notified immediately a member of our staff will call right away to make an appointment.  The appointment time will be used to review the results, get a report of findings, interpretation and any treatment recommendations. 

If you are waiting for Lab Results:  Most lab work comes back to us in 2-3 weeks.  Ideally you would already have made an appointment to review your results.  Otherwise you are expected to make an appointment to discuss your results.  You know when you had your blood drawn.  It is up to you to make an appointment 2-3 weeks after the blood draw to come in and discuss your lab results with the doctor. 

Giving quality care is our top priority.  Your assistance is always greatly appreciated! 

The CT Center For Health Physicians