five simple processes for better managing test results:

We all put so much trust and faith in our doctors and something that is as important as your test results often falls through the cracks. I made a short reference to this yesterday and wanted to add more on this topic today.

Very few physician practices studied have explicit rules for managing test results, according to Lawrence Casalino, M.D., chief of the division of outcomes and effectiveness research in the Department of Public Health at Weill Cornell. In many practices, each physician devised his or her own method, he noted.

The study suggests five simple processes for better managing test results:

* all test results are routed to the responsible physician;

* the physician signs off on all results;

* the practice informs patients of all results whether normal or abnormal;

* the practice documents that the patient has been informed; and* patients are told to call after a certain time interval if they have not been notified.

YOU are responsible to be an active participant in your health care. Be an empowered patient and take responsibility for managing your health care including test results.

Ask your doctor to make all of your medical records available online and if he or she declines find one that will.

Text of the article, Frequency of Failure to Inform Patients of Clinically Significant Outpatient Test Results, is available at:

http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/169/12/1123.

Random living healthier fact of the day; smiling actually lowers your blood pressure : o )

Have a great day and share your smile with the world.

Frank Ille