The 21st Century Cures Act implemented a provision in April 2021 requiring all medical test results to be released to a patient’s electronic medical record as soon as they become available. This has resulted in patients accessing and reading their test results before their healthcare provider does.
However, a common issue arises as many medical reports are not written with patients in mind. Standard pathology reports, for example, are typically written by pathologists for clinical specialists or other healthcare professionals to interpret. Recognizing this gap in patient understanding, Cathryn Lapedis, M.D., M.P.H., and her colleagues from the Department of Pathology at the University of Michigan Health conducted a study to assess patient comprehension of standard pathology reports versus patient-centered reports.
The study involved 2,238 adults aged 55 to 84 who were presented with a hypothetical scenario involving prostate cancer diagnosis. Participants were given different types of reports to review: a standard University report, a standard VA report, and a patient-centered pathology report. Results showed that only 39% of participants could accurately identify prostate cancer from a standard report, while 93% were able to do so with the patient-centered report. Additionally, worry levels were more closely correlated with risk levels in participants who received the patient-centered report.
Lapedis and her team recommend that hospital systems consider incorporating patient-centered pathology reports alongside standard reports to improve patient comprehension. They plan to further study the use of patient-centered reports at the University of Michigan. In the meantime, Lapedis advises patients to discuss with their healthcare providers what specific terms to look for in their reports before undergoing tests.
For more information, the study by Cathryn J. Lapedis et al, “Knowledge and Worry Following Review of Standard vs Patient-Centered Pathology Reports,” can be found in JAMA. The University of Michigan provided this research.
In conclusion, the importance of clear and patient-centered medical reports cannot be overstated in easing patient worry and improving overall understanding of their health status. This study underscores the need for healthcare providers to prioritize patient-friendly language and formats in medical communication.
