PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Nuñez-Argote, Letycia
AU  - Veazey Brooks, Joanna
TI  - Laboratorians and Their Patients: The Impact of Direct Access to Laboratory Test Results on Medical Laboratory Professionals’ Attitudes and Practices
AID  - 10.29074/ascls.2020002386
DP  - 2020 Aug 01
TA  - American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
4099  - http://hwmaint.clsjournal.ascls.org/content/early/2023/04/10/ascls.2020002386.short
4100  - http://hwmaint.clsjournal.ascls.org/content/early/2023/04/10/ascls.2020002386.full
AB  - PROBLEM: Technology and legislation have changed the way patients access health care information through the electronic health record. This study aims to gather information about medical laboratory professionals’ (MLPs’) perspectives regarding patients having direct access to laboratory test results (DALTR) via online web portals.METHODS: Audio-recorded semistructured interviews with MLPs were conducted (n = 15). The interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed iteratively based on grounded theory to identify patterns and themes. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant demographics.RESULTS: All MLPs say that DALTR can help patients understand their care. There was consistent disagreement as to which laboratory tests are best suited for DALTR by patients. Only a few MLPs were sure they could recommend resources for patients to navigate portals and use test results on their own. All MLPs were of the opinion that a clinician must be the intermediary between patients and their test results. MLPs do not think they have a role in communicating results to patients, but a few acknowledged that additional training and experience can make laboratorians adept at helping patients understand laboratory-generated information.CONCLUSIONS: All MLPs agreed that providing results to patients online through web portals is necessary, but they caution that, without proper knowledge and context, laboratory test information can be misconstrued. There were mixed views about how laboratorians should participate in the DALTR process. This pilot study captures important information about practice-specific concerns that have emerged with technological advances and policy changes that affect laboratory test reporting through patient web portals.