This study of more than 1,500 patients who used a patient portal found that they are usually relieved, appreciative, satisfied, or even happy to view their lab test results online.
The goal of this study was to investigate patients’ emotional reactions to viewing lab test results online and the actions they take after they view their results. We discovered that satisfaction, appreciation, calm, happiness, and relief were the most strongly experienced emotional reactions. Although some patients did experience worry, confusion, and fear, we did not find evidence that these reactions were widely held among our respondents. Communication with family and friends and information seeking behaviors were the most common actions taken after viewing lab test results on the KP website.
The findings that patients largely react positively to seeing test results online should be reassuring to physician practices that are considering adding a patient portal with PHR to their practice websites. For practices that have already implemented online test result access but are still limiting access to a small number of results, our findings might provide a good basis for expanding access to results. For our own system, we will look to these results for further research directions, including probing into the content and impact of the preparatory discussion, with the aim of helping physicians use their office visit time to the most efficient end. And finally, for patients, this study confirms what they have long known, that they want and can handle the results of their laboratory tests, and are for the most part eager to see those results as soon as possible.
by Shane Turner via NursingFacultyJobs.com
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