But even if the patient is a small child (or assumed by some of us to be 
one), he may have intelligent friends who could help him/her interpret 
his/her lab results, with or without the help of internet. Such intelligent 
friends may sometimes be more intelligent than the consultant treating the 
patient (or even more intelligent than us, clinical chemists!).
Perhaps some of us are afraid of intelligent people and would prefer to see 
intelligent patients kept in a state of complete ignorance?

Joseph Watine, Rodez, France

>From: "Mascall, Gary (Biochemistry)"              
><[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: "Mascall, Gary (Biochemistry)"              
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Issuing results to patients
>Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2003 13:25:07 +0100
>
>"What do you take patients for?
>Small children?"
>Unfortunately, this may be what you have to assume for certain patients. We 
>run a Cancer Resource centre within our site, with computer access to the 
>Internet for patient's and their relatives. It quickly became apparent that 
>patients are not used to looking for evidence based information. If it is 
>on a pretty website, then it must be good information mustn't it?
>Also, we found people were worried about their results as they only look at 
>the number, not the unit of measurement, so they were trying to interpret 
>SI unit reported results from information on US based non SI web sites.
>Once they are given training then OK, use these resources, but with 
>caution, as search engines and links can be very misleading if you are not 
>very careful as to how you word your query.
>
>Gary Mascall
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Joseph WATINE [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent: 29 July 2003 13:09
>To: Mascall, Gary (Biochemistry)
>Cc: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Issuing results to patients
>
>
>Do you really believe that patients should not try to get some form of
>interpretation of their lab results from the Internet in addition to those
>obtained from the consultant treating them? What do you take patients for?
>Small children?
>
>Joseph Watine, Hôpital de Rodez, France
>
> >From: "Mascall, Gary (Biochemistry)"
> ><[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: "Mascall, Gary (Biochemistry)"
> ><[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Re: Issuing results to patients
> >Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2003 12:06:01 +0100
> >
> >What we agreed to do was to mail the results to the patient/guardian in a
> >sealed envelope with the reports enclosed in a second sealed envelope
> >signed across the flap. They are asked to hand this still sealed envelope
> >to the Consultant at the specialist hospital when they have their next
> >appointment. We also try to make sure that we send copies to the
> >consultant, but as you have found these seem to go missing in large
> >teaching hospitals.
> >
> >We do not audit these to check the patient has not opened them, but as 
>they
> >could see them if they got access to their notes then I would not see 
>that
> >as a problem, unless they were to try to get some form of interpretation
> >from the Internet, rather than the consultant treating them.
> >
> >It is strange how their reports can find their way into the notes of
> >smaller hospitals but not the other way round I think.
> >
> >Gary Mascall
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Tilbrook Louise (RQ8) Mid Essex Hospital
> >[mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> >Sent: 29 July 2003 11:47
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Issuing results to patients
> >
> >
> >
> >At present we have several patients (usually children) who have shared 
>care
> >between us and a teaching hospital. Often when the family visit the
> >referral clinic for treatment/review the most recent set of pathology
> >results are not available, despite our best efforts to send copies as
> >requested. We want to be able to issue results directly to this small 
>group
> >of patients either by post, by collection from the lab or over the
> >telephone (using our standard issue results pad, which we send to GPs,
> >wards etc).
> >
> >Staff are concerned about the implications of this from a state
> >registration point of view. How do other labs get around this problem? 
>The
> >number of patients concerned is very small but typically they are very
> >unwell, often with life-limiting conditions. Chasing blood results
> >understandably adds to the stress these families are under and we are 
>keen
> >to find a solution.
> >
> >Experiences from other labs would be gratefully appreciated.
> >
> >Many thanks
> >Louise Tilbrook
> >
> >Louise Tilbrook
> >Principal Clinical Scientist
> >Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust
> >Broomfield Hospital
> >Chelmsford
> >Essex
> >CM1 7ET
> >
> >Phone 01245 514013
> >Fax 01245 514077

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