GPs And Pathologists Launch Advice To Improve Out-Of-Hours Reporting Of Abnormal Test Results

Main Category: Primary Care / General Practice
Article Date: 30 Nov 2007 - 2:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

Advice for GPs and pathologists to improve the reporting of abnormal test results out-of-hours has been developed by The Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath) and The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP).

The document has been produced in response to instances where laboratory staff have been unable to find an appropriate primary care physician to act urgently on a markedly abnormal test result. Containing advice for GPs, Primary Care Trusts, out-of-hours providers and laboratory staff, the document highlights three key problem areas in reporting and acting on abnormal results:

- lack of information over whom to contact outside GP surgery opening hours

- staff at the out-of-hours provider failing to appreciate the importance of the abnormal result and not taking appropriate responsibility

- staff at the out-of-hours provider being unable to contact the patient and/or unable to access patient records.

The document recommends that stakeholders work together at a local level to develop an appropriate system to ensure good communication out of hours.

Specifically, PCTs should inform the laboratory of arrangements for making contact with a GP out of hours; GPs who request tests must provide sufficient patient details and clinical information to allow effective communication between the lab and the out-of-hours provider; and, crucially, engagement and dialogue must be promoted across the whole local urgent care network.

The document also identifies a need for a protocol for the laboratory to report lack of response from out-of-hours providers and a system to be put in place to quality assure abnormal results.

Professor Adrian Newland, President of The Royal College of Pathologists, says: "Our intention is that this document will be used as a basis on which pathologists can construct local guidelines to address current problems with the reporting of results and to ensure a good working relationship with out-of-hours providers."

Professor Steve Field, Chairman of The Royal College of General Practitioners, says: "This document is essential for primary care teams and pathologists. Whether we are dealing with results which show that an individual requires immediate medical attention, or those that may have implications for public health, an effective system for reporting and acting on abnormal test results will ultimately lead to better patient care."

Notes:

Out-of-hours reporting of markedly abnormal laboratory test results to primary care: Advice to pathologists is available to download from The Royal College of Pathologists' website www.rcpath.org/publications and the RCGP website http://www.rcgp.org.uk.

The Royal College of Pathologists is a professional membership organisation committed to the excellence in the practice of pathology. Its 8500 Members and Fellows work in hospital laboratories, universities and industry worldwide. Undertaking post-mortem examinations is only a small part of the work of members of the College. The main specialties of pathology are clinical biochemistry, cytopathology, forensic pathology, genetics, haematology, histocompatibility and immunogenetics, histopathology, immunology, microbiology, neuropathology, paediatric pathology, toxicology, transfusion medicine, veterinary pathology and virology.

The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of over 30,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.

Royal College of Pathologists

• Additional
• References
• Citations