What is it about?
The information revolution has enabled patients to see and attempt to understand their laboratory test results. Traditionally this is through their physician, but they are under increasing pressure of time; support through laboratory specialists could collaboratively address this element, a proposal that meets with agreement from some patients across Europe.
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Why is it important?
There has been concern that patients cannot understand or would be concerned if they saw their own results. as pressures increase on the healthcare system ensuring patients can get authoritative support requires healthcare professionals, a potential resource is to use specialists in laboratory medicine; previously we have shown their willingness to provide such support, this confirms that patients would accept such support. This enables a new paradigm for both the patients and the professionals.
Perspectives
Patients own their results, but are unlikely to understand them fully if at all. Specialists in Laboratory Medicine do and by providing support to patients enable them to share their knowledge which is where I believe the future lies for this professional group. Such an exercise has to be within he context of the patients care-plan and agreed with their physician to avoid miscommunication
Ian Watson
University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool L9 7AL, UK
It is important that healthcare professionals involve patients in decisions about care and treatment. This leads us to rethink the way we work.
Marta Duque Alcorta
La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
Web browser is not always the most reliable source of knowledge for patients who want to understand their laboratory results. Patients should be supported by Specialists in Laboratory Medicine who actually run their tests. Such cooperation can bring great benefits in the patient's treatment process.
Joanna Siódmiak
Uniwersytet Mikolaja Kopernika w Toruniu
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: A survey of patients’ views from eight European countries of interpretive support from Specialists in Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM), January 2017, De Gruyter,
DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2017-0080.
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