Legislation Quick Search
03/19/2024 01:56 AM
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20170&cosponId=24365
Share:
Home / House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

Subscribe to PaLegis Notifications
NEW!

Subscribe to receive notifications of new Co-Sponsorship Memos circulated

By Member | By Date | Keyword Search


House of Representatives
Session of 2017 - 2018 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: August 4, 2017 12:52 PM
From: Representative Marguerite Quinn
To: All House members
Subject: Patient Test Results
 
I will be introducing legislation to require that the summary or impression which is provided to a health care practitioner after certain diagnostic imaging services are performed on a patient be sent directly to the patient or designee within 20 days of the results being sent to the patient’s ordering physician if the results include a significant abnormality. A significant abnormality has been defined in the legislation as a finding which requires follow-up medical care within three months. The test results may be sent electronically by email or fax or added to the patient’s electronic medical record.

Health care providers face an increasing caseload and a greater volume of paperwork / documentation. These factors increase the chance for test results to be read incorrectly or even inadvertently overlooked. I know of three situations in which abnormal test results were not communicated to the patient, resulting in unnecessary death.

Test results belong to the patient, and by law are provided upon request. However, the attitude of “no news is good news” is still often the standard in medical care, and most people are pleased not to be called back in for more tests! Providing patients with the summary of test results when an abnormality presents will enable patients to be proactive in their health care, and provide a safety net in the event of communication breakdown.

This was House Bill 1233 last session, and it passed the House on November 9, 2015 (196-1).



Introduced as HB1884