Medical Xpress January 21, 2022
While both patients and clinicians prioritize information transparency, a 21st Century Cures Act requirement for the immediate release of test and lab results is proving more controversial, according to recently published survey results of clinicians and patients.
The study, published recently in The American Journal of Surgery, found that of the clinicians surveyed, nearly 63% agreed that immediately released results would be more confusing than helpful for patients, whereas about 16% of patients surveyed agreed with that statement.
“I think for clinicians, the concern has been that it’s going to cause stress to patients getting these really complex reports that are not written at a level that’s easy for non-medical professionals to understand,” says Laura Leonard, MD, the study’s primary...