Sharing test results
Today you may get a message from your healthcare provider anywhere— when you are at work, running an errand, or just waking up. Many of us are unprepared when we see a message with “Test results” in the subject line. Our hearts beat faster, our hands sweat, and our mind starts racing to the worst-case scenario. I hope that’s not just me.
When so many of us are already stressed when opening the message, it is crucial that providers consider the patient’s perspective. “What is my patient going to feel when they open this message? What do they need to know? How can I make it easier to understand?”
I recently came across this test result and wanted to point out a few ways to improve it.
Tips:
Avoid abbreviations. While using abbreviations may save the provider time, they put extra stress on the patient to figure out the meaning.
Be clear about the result. The CBC test result was “unremarkable.” What exactly does that mean? How many extra seconds or minutes did it take the patient to look up this word? The provider could have said, “… your complete blood count looks good.”
Explain what a test is checking. It can help the patient to know more about what the lab tests are for, especially if the provider is asking the patient to act. In this case, the provider asked the patient to go in for another blood test because some tests were not run the first time. Could the provider explain what the CMP test is? For example, “I would like to re-run the CMP (comprehensive metabolic panel) to check your body’s chemical balance and metabolism. This can tell me how well your liver and kidneys are working.” Now the patient has more context and might be more motivated to go in for another appointment.
What worked well?
The provider did a great job grouping information into separate paragraphs instead of having all sentences in a paragraph. The space between each group of sentences helps the patient read the message more easily, especially on a mobile device.